You can’t miss UCLG at the Habitat III Conference in Quito

UCLG is organizing a delegation of hundreds of mayors and locally elected leaders to the Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development in Quito from 17-20 October, facilitating the presence of all the networks of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional governments at the Conference. UCLG may not be visible in Quito at first sight, but we have played a defining role in the involvement of local and regional governments at Habitat III.

Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments

As facilitator of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, UCLG has accompanied the three-stage Second World Assembly throughout 2016.

At the first session of the Assembly on the 15th of May 2016, Global Taskforce representatives presented the recommendations of our constituency at the Habitat III Local Authority Hearings in New York.

At the second session, on the 14th of October in the framework of the UCLG World Congress in Bogotá, delegates will approve the official statement of local and regional leaders in response to the New Urban Agenda.

The Assembly will culminate in Quito on the 16th of October, where hundreds of locally elected leaders will gather to present our joint statement to the Habitat III Conference, as well as to commit to contributing to the achievement of the New Urban Agenda.

Statement of the Second World Assembly 

UCLG members have shaped the statement of the World Assembly to the Habitat III Conference. The text clearly reflects the perspectives and priorities of our members, builds on the results of UCLG’s flagship GOLD report, to be launched in Bogotá, and complements the Bogotá Commitments, which will be adopted at the UCLG Congress. With inputs from all the networks active in the Global Taskforce, the political message is divided into three sections that seek to highlight:

  1. The main achievements of our advocacy work in the New Urban Agenda
  2. The commitments to action of local and regional governments going forward
  3. The main demands of our constituency to the international community, including our call for a renewed global governance structure and improved global financing for local investment

Local and regional government representatives at the Habitat III Conference

There will be dozens of opportunities for UCLG members to actively participate in round tables, side events and other events during the conference. UCLG has been working to ensure a strong presence for all local government networks in the official sessions of Habitat III. Our members, committees and partners are organizing a lot of events, which we will update you about shortly. UCLG will manage, staff and facilitate the Local and Regional Governments Lounge, which will be located just a few steps away from the main meeting room of the Conference, the Agora. You cannot miss us!

Local and regional government lounge

Our team will be happy to welcome you to the local and regional government lounge. The Local and Regional Government Lounge will act as the hub for our constituency; a networking, work and presentation space that will ensure our visibility and coordination during the Conference.

Habitat III: a celebration

UCLG would like to thank all of our members for their contributions to our advocacy work towards the Habitat III Conference over the past year. The local and regional governments of UCLG and the Global Taskforce have had a decisive impact on the New Urban Agenda for the coming 20 years. The Second World Assembly and Habitat III are an opportunity for us to celebrate our important achievements and to look forward to a renewed partnership with the UN. See you in Quito!

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