UN-Habitat Announces Focus on Local Solutions at World Urban Forum 12 in Cairo

Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Anacláudia Rossbach, underscored the importance of the Forum to address global challenges: “It is a critical moment to illustrate solutions and alternatives on how to overcome global challenges, but also to identify trends. It is also a great moment to promote the exchange of experiences and build critical mass as well as a common understanding of the challenges we face, and to understand what the role of cities and UN-Habitat is in addressing these global challenges.”

Assistant Minister of Housing for Technical Affairs, Abdelkhalek Ibrahim,  provided an overview of the importance of WUF12 and collaboration for Egypt and Cairo: “Cairo faces a number of urban development challenges affecting the sustainability of the city. We need to have a vision. That vision is putting people at the centre and improving the quality of life and built environment.  Collaboration with international stakeholders for integrated knowledge transfer is vital, and involvement by the local community is important to raise awareness of challenges.”

The conference also spotlighted the upcoming Cairo Urban Week, an initiative designed to engage local communities ahead of WUF12. “Cairo Urban Week has been planned and designed to build momentum for the World Urban Forum, and in a way that can help us leverage the experience,  bringing different stakeholders, experts, policymakers and local communities and will help us showcase and discuss matters related to innovative urban solutions.”Ahmed Rezk, Director of the UN-Habitat Egypt Office, remarked.

Discussions at WUF12 will centre around crucial topics such as the global housing crisis, climate resilience, financing sustainable development, partnerships, people and technology, and the loss of home, notably through high-level discussions that will include ministers, mayors, and experts focusing on local solutions that can drive global change.