SUMMARY OF PLENARY DISCUSSIONS AND OUTCOMES
DAY 1 – TUESDAY, 21 APRIL 2026
On Tuesday, 21 April 2026, the first session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for the year 2026 opened in Nairobi, Kenya.
Agenda item 1: Opening of the session
The Chair, H.E. Mr. Sebastian Groth, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Germany to UN-Habitat, opened the session and called the meeting to order. He welcomed Member States, observers and partners, and expressed appreciation for their participation. The Chair underscored the importance of the session in guiding the work of UN-Habitat and looked forward to constructive deliberations over the two-day meeting. He then invited the Executive Director to deliver her opening remarks. Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, welcomed delegates and emphasized the significance of the session in advancing adequate housing and sustainable urbanization at a time of increasing global challenges. She expressed appreciation to the Government of Kenya for its continued support and highlighted recent milestones, including the successful Second Africa Urban Forum (AUF2) and ongoing regional dialogues with Member States. The Executive Director outlined progress in implementing the Strategic Plan 2026–2029, including organizational alignment, development of the monitoring framework, and advancement of the resource mobilization strategy, among others. She also highlighted key upcoming global processes, notably the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku and the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda, scheduled for 16 to 17 July 2026. She stressed the continued relevance of the New Urban Agenda and the importance of collective efforts to accelerate its implementation in the next decade. The Executive Director further noted UN-Habitat’s engagement in broader United Nations reform efforts, including the UN80 initiative. Addressing operational matters, she highlighted ongoing financial constraints, including challenges related to core funding and broader global trends in official development assistance. She called on Member States to provide early and predictable contributions to support the delivery of UN-Habitat’s mandate, emphasizing the importance of flexible funding for effective programme implementation. Mr. Cassius Kuisenya, Housing Secretary, representing Hon. Alice Wahome, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development of Kenya, delivered a statement on behalf of the host country. He welcomed delegates to Nairobi and reaffirmed Kenya’s strong support for UN-Habitat and its mandate. He underscored the importance of housing and urban development in advancing national and global priorities and expressed appreciation for the organization’s continued partnership. The Chair thanked the representative of Kenya for his statement and expressed appreciation for the Government of Kenya’s continued support to UN-Habitat and the Executive Board.
Agenda item 2: Organizational matters
The Executive Board:
- Adopted the agenda and the work plan for the first session of 2026.
- Adopted the report of the Executive Board on the work of its third session of 2025.
Agenda item 3: Report by the chair of the ad hoc working group on PBA and update by the co-chairs of OEWG-H
H.E. Ms. Susan Nakhumicha Wafula, Permanent Representative of Kenya to UN-Habitat and Chair of the ad hoc working group on programmatic, budgetary and administrative matters, briefed the Executive Board on the work of the group since the last session of the Executive Board, held in November 2025. She informed the Board that the working group had convened five meetings between February and April 2026 and had considered a wide range of issues in support of the Executive Board’s mandate. She highlighted key areas of discussion, including the financial status of UN-Habitat, the draft work programme and budget for 2027, and the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2026–2029. She noted concerns raised by Member States regarding funding constraints and emphasized the importance of a robust and sustainable resource mobilization strategy. On programmatic matters, she reported that Member States had generally welcomed the focus of the draft work programme on adequate housing, technical assistance and integrated approaches to informal settlements, while also calling for greater clarity on alignment with the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and realistic budget planning. Regarding the monitoring framework for the Strategic Plan 2026–2029, she noted that a more refined set of baseline values and targets had been developed for consideration by the Executive Board. She also highlighted positive engagement by Member States on the draft resource mobilization strategy, including appreciation for its consultative and co-creation approach. The Chair further reported on discussions related to the implementation of resolutions adopted by the UN-Habitat Assembly, noting concerns about uneven progress due to resource limitations and the need for clearer prioritization and strengthened partnerships. She also provided an overview of deliberations on UN-Habitat’s normative and operational activities, including country programmes and the urban crisis response efforts. In addition, she highlighted updates provided to the working group on preparations for upcoming global processes, including the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) and the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda. She informed the Executive Board that the working group had also considered draft decisions for adoption at the present session and had transmitted the latest versions to the Chair of the Executive Board for final consideration.The Chair of the Executive Board took note of the briefing, confirmed receipt of the draft decisions, and opened the floor for interventions by Member States.
Interventions by Member States
FRANCE welcomed the leadership of the Kenyan Presidency of the ad hoc working group; noted key issues identified including coherence between the new human resources structure and strategic priorities, sustainability of financial forecasts, and risks to the organization’s normative capacity; recalled the importance of maintaining a technical and collaborative spirit to ensure regular information exchange between UN-Habitat and Member States during budgetary uncertainty and the UN80 reform; welcomed the resource mobilization strategy for the Strategic Plan 2026–2029; commended the Azerbaijan-Somalia co-presidency of the OEWG-H; stressed the need to guarantee sufficient financing for the working group; and asked whether an informal ministerial meeting on the OEWG-H is planned at the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum. SIERRA LEONE, on behalf of the AFRICAN GROUP, commended the report of the second session of the OEWG-H for defining key thematic areas and providing concrete recommendations; welcomed the integrated approach linking housing to unemployment, education, public services and climate resilience; highlighted that financing mobilization for the housing agenda remains Africa’s most significant challenge and recommended the working group undertake in-depth discussions on practical solutions; expressed support for a multi-stakeholder approach to advance Resolutions 2/7 and 2/2; commended the establishment of the Housing Knowledge Platform; and thanked Kenya and France for their stewardship of the working group. BURUNDI aligned itself with the African Group; highlighted the close link between land scarcity, rapid urbanization and informal settlements in a context of high population density; outlined its integrated approach through a National Land Policy and National Spatial Planning Scheme; stressed the strategic role of secondary cities and the need for adapted urban master plans; pointed to local authority capacity-building in planning, data management and land governance as a key priority; and underscored the urgency of integrating climate resilience into housing and urbanization policies given vulnerability to floods and landslides. COLOMBIA joined the GRULAC call to guarantee sufficient funding for the OEWG-H and ensure geographic representativeness through effective participation of experts from developing countries; recognized the working group’s essential role in developing housing solutions for rapidly growing cities in the Global South; stressed the need for a comprehensive approach combining environmental sustainability, climate resilience, social inclusion and community participation; underscored that informality represents a legitimate response to structural exclusion rather than a problem in itself; and called for more inclusive financing models for tenure security, including flexible tenure schemes, cooperative credit mechanisms and legal protection for non-legalized housing. AZERBAIJAN, as one of the two co-chair of the OEWG-H, reported that the second session of the working group drew 288 participants from 48 Member States and adopted four decisions by consensus on: draft recommendations under the four thematic areas (housing finance, tenure security, informal settlements and social housing); guidance on the Housing Knowledge Platform; the roadmap for 2025–2029; and dates and provisional agenda for the third session; noted that 190 focal points have been nominated from 69 countries; outlined the programme of work for 2026, including intersessional meetings at the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku in May 2026 and an online meeting in June or July 2026, with the third session proposed for 26–27 November 2026, back-to-back with the UN-Habitat Executive Board; and cautioned that without additional financial or in-kind contributions from Member States, delivery of the working group is at risk, including basic meeting services such as document preparation, translation and interpretation. INDONESIA thanked the Executive Director for the comprehensive report on programmatic, budgetary and administrative matters; welcomed the new directors to UN-Habitat and the adoption of decisions 7 and 8, and looked forward to their effective implementation; underscored the importance of predictable funding and equitable allocation of resources across regions; appreciated progress under the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 in advancing adequate housing; stressed the importance of balance between normative and operational frameworks; welcomed the approval of the monitoring framework and work programme; expressed appreciation for UN-Habitat’s support to countries affected by conflict and disasters and drew attention to the needs of rapidly urbanizing countries; and welcomed preparations for the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13). GERMANY welcomed the new directors and expressed enthusiasm for working with them; appreciated UN-Habitat’s leadership in advancing sustainable urbanization; thanked Kenya for its leadership role on programmatic, budgetary and administrative matters; called for ensuring no one is left behind in normative and operational efforts; commended UN-Habitat’s sustained engagement in conflict-affected areas amid harsh conditions and constrained resources; thanked the Somalia and Azerbaijan co-chairs for assuming leadership of the OEWG-H and for their presentation; noted the dedication of two experts to the working group and expressed hope their contributions would help achieve its goals; expressed concern over the financial sustainability of the working group and requested clarity from UN-Habitat on funding status and costs per session; and inquired how the work of the OEWG-H would be integrated into and featured at WUF13 in Azerbaijan.ALGERIA thanked the Chair for convening the meeting and for ensuring the Executive Board fulfils its intended role; acknowledged the Executive Director for her work and the timely sharing of documents; highlighted the severity of the global housing crisis as it affects developing countries, including the proliferation of slums and issues of affordability; emphasized key priorities including social housing, inclusion and the prevention of forced evictions; called for responses to be tailored to the specific needs of Africa and developing countries; and noted that the World Urban Forum (WUF13) would further support the global response to the housing crisis.
Agenda item 4: Financial, budgetary and administrative matters, including update on the Sustainable Cities and Communities Foundation
The Executive Director introduced the agenda item and expressed appreciation to Member States for their continued support. UN-Habitat reported on its financial status as of 31 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, noting that revenue to the Foundation non-earmarked fund amounted to USD 4.0 million by end 2025, from 31 Member States. As of end March 2026, contributions totalled USD 0.2 million from four Member States, covering only 3.2 per cent of the agreed 2026 budget. The Executive Director highlighted the continued vulnerability of the Foundation non earmarked fund despite its critical role in sustaining core normative and operational activities and appealed for increased and timely contributions to ensure financial stability in 2026. On administrative matters, UN Habitat provided an overview of staffing, equitable geographical distribution and gender parity as of 31 December 2025. The Organization employed approximately 1,500 personnel globally, including 343 staff members, with the largest representation from Africa and balanced gender parity at the professional and higher levels. The Executive Director reaffirmed UN Habitat’s commitment to an inclusive and geographically diverse workforce and emphasized that strengthened core funding remains essential to enable effective delivery of its global mandate.On the Sustainable Cities and Communities Foundation (SCCF), UN-Habitat noted that an independent due diligence review was conducted by an external partner, pursuant to paragraph 4 of decision 2025/1, and indicated that the results thereof are presented in document HSP/EB.2026/3.
Interventions by Member States
SIERRA LEONE, on behalf of the AFRICAN GROUP, highlighted Africa’s acute urban challenges, including rapid urbanization, informal settlements, climate vulnerability, limited services, and structural financing gaps, and called for scaled up investment in housing and slum upgrading, equitable global housing finance, strengthened land governance, climate resilient and programmatic approaches, and alignment with Agenda 2063; welcomed due diligence assessment of the SCCF and recalled the 2023 mandate to operationalize the Fund; requested clarity on delays and findings; stressed the importance of predictable non-earmarked funding; and underscored that any amendment or termination of collectively agreed arrangements must remain Member-State driven. MEXICO expressed its support to efforts to enhance the efficiency of UN-Habitat Executive Board meetings and underscored the importance of retaining key agenda items, including those related to geographical distribution and gender balance; welcomed the draft resource mobilization strategy, noting its regional approach and inclusion of considerations for local actors; and reaffirmed that the core added value of UN-Habitat lay in its normative role, supported by transparent administration. FRANCE expressed concern over donor withdrawals and constrained funding and called for greater caution in budget formulation; requested clarification regarding discrepancies in reported revenue figures; and emphasized the importance of accurate and consistent financial reporting, particularly towards decision-making on UN-Habitat’s budget. JAPAN thanked UN-Habitat for its continued efforts; encouraged more effective budget execution; and emphasized the need to strengthen financial discipline and management efficiency to prevent future deficits in the Foundation non earmarked fund. GERMANY expressed concern over UN Habitat’s continued financial fragility despite recent contributions; warned that growing reliance on earmarked funding risked undermining independence and long term planning; called for strict discipline in core expenditures, recalling that its support for the 2026 budget had been granted with concessions; further welcomed organizational streamlining; expressed concern over fragile staffing capacity in housing as a pillar of the Strategic Plan 2026–2029; and reaffirmed support for gender equality. ALGERIA expressed concern over UN Habitat’s continued financial fragility, noting persistent deficits, growing reliance on earmarked funding, and risks to institutional independence, long-term planning, and core normative capacity; urged prioritization of developing and conflict-affected countries, integration of Agenda 2063 and African Union priorities, and expanded use of innovative housing finance, capacity building, and exchange of national experiences. NIGERIA aligned itself with the African Group and expressed concern regarding limited accessibility of information on the SCCF, noting that some Member States were unaware of the relevant documentation; requested clarification on the recent SCCF report; raised concern over references to the triggering of a termination notice by the Executive Director without a mandate from Member States; and emphasized that the Executive Director remained accountable to Member States, underscoring the need for better transparency and clarity. ARGENTINA thanked UN-Habitat for the presentation and emphasized the importance of strengthening UN-Habitat’s core resources in the context of global budgetary constraints; expressed concern regarding the underrepresentation of Latin America and the Caribbean in staffing; and encouraged enhanced outreach efforts to improve geographical balance. MALAWI expressed concern over the continued deficit in the Foundation non earmarked fund, noting that revenues remained below expenditures; commended prudent financial management measures; requested clarification on safeguards for the statutory reserve; and encouraged innovative partnerships to diversify funding sources. COSTA RICA welcomed progress achieved in gender parity but expressed concern regarding persistent geographical imbalances, particularly the continued underrepresentation of Latin America and the Caribbean; and urged UN-Habitat to move from identifying challenges to concrete actions, including improving regional representation at senior management levels. The Executive Board took note of the briefing and report of the Executive Director.
Agenda item 5: Implementation of strategic plan 2026-2029
a. Update on structure and division responsibilities
The Executive Director introduced the agenda item, noting that it was the first of three sub-items under the agenda, and expressed appreciation to Member States for their continued support. UN-Habitat reaffirmed that its vision remains unchanged, emphasizing that its organizational structure and division of responsibilities are fully aligned with the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan to ensure efficient and coherent implementation. It recalled that the revised structure had been presented at the third session of the Executive Board in November 2025 and confirmed that it has been successfully in place since 1 December 2025. Regarding the UN80 initiative, UN-Habitat noted that the impact on its structure, staffing and budgetary planning had so far remained limited and assured Member States that it has been responding with agility and resilience, minimizing adverse effects on both staff and operations. UN-Habitat further highlighted that its active engagement in the UN80 process is contributing to elevating the importance of its mandate across the UN system, while noting that the initiative remains ongoing and that discussions will continue in the months ahead.
Interventions by Member States
ZIMBABWE took note of the report and welcomed progress in clarifying the organizational structure, strengthening the monitoring framework, and advancing resource mobilization, while highlighting its national alignment with the Strategic Plan through coordinated governance, SDG 11 integration, and partnerships with the private sector and development partners. GERMANY welcomed the implementation of the Strategic Plan; raised concerns about decentralized fundraising and potential risks to mandate coherence and normative leadership; and requested clarification on mitigation measures as well as on the rationale for abolishing 16 positions under the UN80 process. ARGENTINA expressed satisfaction with UN‑Habitat’s efforts to enhance efficiency under the UN80 initiative; noted the limited staffing impact due to orderly reallocation; raised concerns about reliance on project‑based and junior personnel and implications for geographic balance; and requested examples of efficiency gains from common administrative platforms. COLOMBIA welcomed progress under the Strategic Plan 2026–2029, including restructuring, the resource mobilization strategy and the monitoring framework; reaffirmed strong support for the Plan; emphasized cross‑cutting priorities such as gender equality, human rights, climate justice and SDG localization; and called for completion of pending indicators while welcoming mitigation measures related to staff reductions. SWEDEN underscored the importance of prudent management to safeguard UN Habitat’s mandate and expressed support for the UN80 initiative, while cautioning that reforms focused solely on cuts could undermine results and global support; and emphasized the need for a strategic focus on core mandates and value addition. CHILE commended UN-Habitat for the preparation of the session; emphasized the central role of urban planning, informal settlements, migration, security and the rule of law in achieving sustainable cities; highlighted the importance of regional coordination; welcomed opportunities under the UN80 initiative; and stressed the need for strengthened multilateral cooperation. BURKINA FASO emphasized the importance of technical cooperation and resource mobilization subprogrammes and called for strengthening relevant components, particularly regarding planning, financing, governance and partnerships. PERU welcomed the transparency of the briefing; took note of the ongoing internal mapping and workstreams; and requested clarification on mandate life‑cycle management as well as additional information on the timeline and expected operational impact of the Common Administrative Platform. SOMALIA welcomed the update and emphasized the importance of clear roles and responsibilities across headquarters and regional and country levels to avoid duplication and enhance delivery, particularly in capacity‑constrained and African contexts, while encouraging continued transparency and regular updates. MEXICO requested further details on proposals under the UN80 initiative and sought clarification on guidelines, targets and methodologies for selected indicators under the Strategic Plan, including gender‑related and rights‑based indicators. SIERRA LEONE, speaking on behalf of the African Group, welcomed the update on implementation and the monitoring framework; emphasized the need for adequate, predictable and flexible non‑earmarked resources considering Africa’s rapid urbanization, climate vulnerability and housing challenges; and called on Member States to strengthen UN‑Habitat’s non‑earmarked funding base. COSTA RICA welcomed the restructuring and the monitoring framework; stressed that regular‑budget reductions should not weaken technical capacity or field presence; and emphasized the importance of regional mandates, data‑driven monitoring, donor diversification, and UN‑Habitat’s role in SDG localization and the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13). EGYPT expressed concern over the elimination of subprogramme 5 on technical cooperation and resource mobilization; requested clarification on how its functions would be preserved and delivered; and emphasized the need to safeguard support to developing countries, including through donor diversification and strengthened core funding.ALGERIA aligned itself with the African Group and welcomed elements of decentralization; sought clarification on the redistribution of functions following the abolition of subprogramme 5; expressed concern over human resource impacts in Africa; and encouraged continued innovation in resource mobilization as well as adaptation of monitoring indicators to developing country contexts.
b. Update on the Monitoring Framework of the Strategic Plan 2026–2029
The Executive Director recalled that the Monitoring Framework for UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029 was approved by the Executive Board at its session in November 2025, with a request to present, at the first session of 2026 of the Executive Board, the baseline values and the proposed corresponding targets for all indicators included in the monitoring framework to be achieved by the end of the implementation period of the Strategic Plan 2026–2029. UN-Habitat indicated that document HSP/EB.2026/5 provides an update on the establishment of these baseline values and targets. It further noted that the accompanying methodological guide details each indicator, including key concepts, data sources, methodologies for data collection and disaggregation, as well as baseline values and proposed targets. UN-Habitat highlighted that the guide was developed through a whole-of-house approach, engaging teams across headquarters, regions and countries. It also underscored that, in a context where data on cities and the urban sector remains limited, the establishment of baselines represents a significant contribution to understanding urbanization trends, as well as the scale and nature of the global housing crisis. UN-Habitat reiterated its commitment to ensuring a robust and transparent monitoring and reporting process to support the effective implementation of the Strategic Plan.
Interventions by Member States
SWEDEN welcomed the continued development of the Monitoring Framework, emphasizing that robust and coherent monitoring is essential for strengthening accountability, capturing lessons learned, and guiding resource allocation. BURKINA FASO appreciated the establishment of the Monitoring Framework and noted that some indicators are composite, which complicates analysis, requesting that UN-Habitat include an annex explaining calculation methods to ensure a harmonized understanding. BRAZIL sought clarity on how to consult the final version of the Monitoring Framework. ARGENTINA commended UN-Habitat for progress made in setting baselines and targets for the indicators of the Monitoring Framework despite significant methodological challenges and limited urban data, while highlighting a key gap in the baseline for Indicator 8 due to the absence of information on national basic services policies; and called on UN-Habitat to clarify the roadmap and data-sharing partnerships to address this gap, noting the importance of this indicator, and Indicator 9 by extension, for assessing UN-Habitat’s reach. SOMALIA welcomed Indicator 2, particularly for displaced communities, and highlighted the importance of its application, underscoring the need for context-sensitive measurement and the integration of community participation for long-term resilience.
c. Resource mobilization strategy for the Strategic Plan
The Executive Director introduced the draft Resource Mobilization Strategy for implementing the Strategic Plan 2026–2029, noting that it provides an integrated framework to translate agreed priorities into coordinated action across UN-Habitat and indicating that coordination will be strengthened through the establishment of a director-level Resource Mobilization Task Force. She highlighted that the Strategy was developed through a consultative process and co-created with Member States, ensuring alignment with their priorities and guidance. The Strategy responds to a rapidly evolving funding landscape while remaining grounded in practical experience and ongoing delivery. She stressed that its success depends on the collective commitment of Member States to provide predictable and adequate resources, particularly core contributions. UN-Habitat indicated that the Strategy is built around two main goals – securing financial contributions and strengthening the enabling environment – implemented through five strategic actions and supported by cross-cutting organizational enablers. UN-Habitat further indicated that it draws on lessons from the previous planning cycle, with a stronger focus on prioritization and targeted diversification. UN-Habitat also introduced the updated Catalogue of Solutions as a practical tool to support partnership development and provide clear entry points for funding partners.
Interventions by Member States
PERU noted that the Strategy had been thoroughly debated and discussed across various meetings, with Member States providing substantive feedback throughout the process; and expressed support for the Strategy, emphasizing its importance in securing more adequate and predictable financing, strengthening multilateralism, and reinforcing UN Habitat’s mandate. GERMANY thanked UN-Habitat for its efforts in developing the Strategy and acknowledged the broad support shown to date; expressed hope that the Strategy would deliver tangible results; welcomed enhanced engagement with subnational governments and encouraged UN-Habitat to actively pursue this avenue; stressed that successful implementation would require adequate capacity and therefore called for sufficient human resources support; underscored the importance of explicitly including humanitarian financing and crisis response in the Strategy; sought more clarity on private sector partnerships; and encouraged the Strategy to define concrete success criteria, including measurable targets, lessons learned from practice, and indicators such as donor numbers and funding volumes. SWEDEN highlighted the current challenging financial situation, particularly regarding Foundation non earmarked funds; encouraged efforts to broaden and modernize the funding base; emphasized that, in an increasingly constrained funding environment, targeted and strategic initiatives would be essential; encouraged continued efforts to link resource mobilization to results, comparative advantage, and demonstrable impact in order to strengthen partner confidence and support predictable, long term financing. ARGENTINA congratulated UN-Habitat on the Strategy and underscored that it come at a critical juncture given the acute global housing crisis; endorsed the Strategy’s focus on funding and enabling measures and stressed the importance of Strategic Area 2, particularly engagement with the private sector and local governments, including businesses, foundations, and impact investors, noting the opportunities it presents; requested further clarification on UN Habitat’s role as a technical partner for international financial institutions, including de-risking and policy advisory functions, and encouraged reflection on how to move beyond advisory roles to achieve tangible improvements in informal settlements. INDONESIA welcomed the draft Resource Mobilization Strategy and commended UN Habitat’s efforts to diversify funding sources in light of the current challenging financial environment; welcomed the Strategy’s enabling dimension and its focus on creating conditions for sustainable financing; expressed appreciation for initiatives to engage the private sector and subnational governments; and reaffirmed its strong support for UN Habitat, particularly in advancing South–South and triangular cooperation.The chair closed the agenda item, and the report was adopted without further comment or reservation.