Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is impossible without sustainable urbanization, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said during her speech at the closing ceremony of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), APA reports.
According to her, housing is the point where all major global challenges intersect, as it is an issue of accessibility, security, and social protection.
The UN representative stated that ensuring these opportunities also strengthens healthcare, education, poverty reduction, gender equality, climate resilience, and social inclusion.
She stressed that within the framework of the forum, housing was discussed as a matter of development, economy, and human rights.
“Housing is one of the key factors accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
The Deputy Secretary-General noted that despite the crisis, important progress has been achieved in integrating urban and rural planning with the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to her, a crisis of this scale requires great solidarity and cooperation.
“We are living in a difficult period for multilateral cooperation. The principles of the UN Charter are under pressure, tensions are rising, trust is weakening, and fragmentation is accelerating,” she said.
Nevertheless, the UN representative highly praised the model of cooperation demonstrated in Baku.
