Dear Colleagues, Friends and Partners,
It is my humble pleasure to share this 2024 end-of-year message with you.
The year has seen many milestones reached, achievements made from harnessed opportunities, amid many challenges along the way. UN-Habitat welcomed its new Executive Director, Ms Anaclaudia Rossbach who brought with her a wealth of experience and encouragement to renew some of the core unique selling points of UN-Habitat: Housing, Land and basic Services. For us at UN-Habitat’s Policy, Legislation and Governance Section (PLGS), the new vision of the new management is timely and strategic. We therefore continued contributing towards these agency’s global efforts towards sustainable development. Let me convey my deep appreciation to all members of UN-Habitat and PLGS. Each of us played a pivotal role towards achieving everything we accomplished.
As the year comes to a wrap, it is time to reflect upon the highs, the lows and the ‘in-betweens of the year.
Our global reach
To go into some specifics…
Touching people’s life!
In 2024, our technical support continued to be extended to over 20 countries. It is quite encouraging to see impacts from such projects. For example, on urban policy, in 2024, Jordan’s Council of Ministers endorsed its national urban policy, which paves way for managing urbanization in the country in an inclusive, resilient and sustainable way. In Niger State-Nigeria, about 250,000 people are benefitting from improved access to water and sanitation services, from the NUP demonstration projects. The five country projects under phase II of the Korea-funded national urban policy programme also went on steadily (Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Egypt, Mozambique and Paraguay). Under K-NUPP, for instance, Paraguay endorsed its national urban policy by Presidential Decree, a milestone set to accelerate the country’s transformative housing programme. On our projects on legislation and governance, in 2024, the workshops held in Malawi and Zimbabwe provided window for an exchange visit for participants from the three countries, enabling knowledge sharing on the project progress in these countries as well as comparable lessons and inspiring practices. In addition, replication of the 2022-2023 urban legislation project in Tajikistan, to Kyrgyzstan in 2023-2024, demonstrates how the lessons and inspiring practices in one context can be applied in another. On metropolitan management, we applied various MetroHUB tools in our technical support in Spain (Barcelona), El Salvador (San Salvador), Colombia (Bogota), Honduras (Tegucigalpa), Argentina (Cordoba) and Italy (Milan). On urban-rural linkages, our continuing collaboration with various partners saw our efforts reach 8 countries in 2024. Noteworthy for example, was our capacity development initiatives in Jinja, Uganda and in Nakuru, Kenya, which provided policymakers at the local level with more skills and knowledge on urban-rural linkages. Additionally, UN-Habitat supported the launch of the new metropolitan area of Grand Bamako, Mali, following three years of technical assistance towards its conceptualization.
Growing catalogue of normative tools and knowledge products and their use:
PLGS once again refined its growing catalogue of normative tools and knowledge products. These materials offer global standards and frameworks to effectively guide governments and stakeholders in their various development priorities, all geared towards sustainable development. In 2024, UN-Habitat, through PLGS and its partners, released over 17 normative tools and knowledge products, in addition to the ones released in 2023.
To more capacity development efforts:
Our capacity development programmes, tools and other initiatives continue to enhance abilities of policymakers, academia, urban practitioners and other stakeholders. Regarding tools, our four self-paced e-learning courses are annually empowering an ever-growing global audience with easily accessible and impactful learning opportunities. On capacity development programmes, for example, in 2024, the MetroHUB global capacity development programme continued with its course, delivering training activities on metropolitan management in Italy, Paraguay, and Spain. Additionally, high-level Nakuru county officials, Kenya, enhanced their technical know-how to integrate urban-rural linkages into their work, for the benefit of both urban and rural communities in the county. Through our biannual Urban Law Days, held alongside our esteemed partners, knowledge was diffused on a) the role of the judiciary in enhancing urban law, and b) effective urban laws to localize the SDGs. Our Community of Practice sessions proved to be highly effective opportunities to expand knowledge and awareness, with the four 2024 sessions featuring critical thematic topics on smart cities and urban policies, legislation and governance role in advancing climate action, and enhancing biodiversity for stronger urban-rural linkages.
Advocacy:
Advocacy remains the driving force behind raising awareness and mobilizing collective action to achieve sustainable urban development. A key highlight of the year was the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12). For PLGS, WUF12 was another opportunity to champion the role of policy, legislation and governance in advancing global efforts towards an inclusive, resilient and sustainable future. We were privileged to have organized, co-organized or had a speaking role in over 23 events of varying thematic nature, engaging over 800 participants in the process. PLGS also participated in 15 bilateral and multilateral consultations to review, strengthen and refine our specific collaborations with partners. During WUF12, our strong and enduring partnerships saw the signing and renewal of three key agreements.
Partnerships
Partnerships were a strong feature of 2024 for PLGS. These concerted efforts create a synergistic effect which would hardly be achieved if we worked individually. This year, with our steadily growing partner base, PLGS represented UN-Habitat in various events, co-authoring publications, co-implementing projects, and even appearing in partner articles, journals, among other works. Our partnerships also paved way for other partnerships. Just one example to highlight, is that, UN-Habitat through PLGS, facilitated establishment of friendly relations between Shanghai University, China and the University of Nairobi, Kenya. The two institutions are currently working on a memorandum of understanding. I must also acknowledge and appreciate our internal partners making up the different sections, units, regional and country offices within UN-Habitat, whose collaborations continue to implement UN-Habitat’s mandate in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. To all partners, I say on behalf of PLGS, thank you very much.
Looking ahead:
The upcoming year 2025 looks to be quite engaging for UN-Habitat and stakeholders in the urban development space. The momentum built in 2024 will be carried on in 2025, with many of our projects carrying on. We also plan to continue deploying the normative guides and e-learning courses, and disseminate policy briefs, newsletters, reports, and other forms of knowledge. Our capacity development programmes and advocacy efforts will continue in 2025, taking lessons and inspiring practices from 2024, as we aim to reach more people globally. Learning from and celebrating the success from our 2024 partnerships, we aim to further expand partnerships in 2025, to achieve greater impact together.
Supportive leadership:
Let me also acknowledge and appreciate our UN-Habitat leadership, whose year-round support spurred us on. From the Executive Director, Anacláudia Rossbach and Deputy Executive Director Michal Mlynar, to our Global Solutions Division Director, Raf Tuts, and to our Chief of Urban Practices Branch, Shipra Narang Suri, I would like to say, on behalf of PLGS, thank you very much for the leadership, guidance and support in 2024.
As we head into the festive season, I encourage you all to take some time to rest up, spend time with friends and family as you recharge for the upcoming year.
I wholeheartedly wish you all a wonderful festive season, and a Happy New Year!
Remy Sietchiping,
Chief- Policy, Legislation and Governance Section,
UN-Habitat.