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21 June 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n H.E. Michal Mlyn\u00e1r, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations,<\/p>\n H.E. Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of ECOSOC and Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations,<\/p>\n Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat,<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Dear Colleagues,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I am honoured to join you for this inaugural meeting of the Group of Friends of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat, Sustainable Urbanization and the New Urban Agenda.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I would like to thank the co-chairs of the Group of Friends, Botswana and Slovakia, as well as Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Habitat, for creating this group and for helping to advance this pivotal work.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I also take this opportunity to recognize the co-chairs and members of my Advisory Committee for Sustainable Urbanization. The Advisory Committee has provided invaluable support to me throughout the 76th<\/sup> session, particularly in preparing for the high-level meeting on April 28th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Dear friends,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n We are here today because we understand that the New Urban Agenda has yet to receive the attention it deserves\u2026 the attention that it requires.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In a world that is increasingly and dramatically urban, we need to be guided by the New Urban Agenda.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This is particularly important considering the impact cities and urbanization have on our other multilateral agendas and issues, from the SDGs to the Paris climate agreement, to disaster risk reduction to peace.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While cities take up only 2% of land, they consume 60% of energy, release 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, and produce 70% of global waste.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Up to 65% of SDG targets depend on action in cities.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Indeed, a truly sustainable planet is impossible without the full engagement of cities.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The New Urban Agenda is the best tool we have to manage all the risks and opportunities for our smart, vibrant and growing cities. It can serve as an urgent driver of economic and social transformation, and help to build the resilient future we want, and overcome the emerging challenges we face.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n My friends,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The high-level meeting on assessing progress of the New Urban Agenda was an important step to gauge where we are.<\/p>\n It is my hope that this Group of Friends can serve as an important platform to take forward the action plans and address the challenges identified.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Because our efforts must be just that \u2013 actionable, deliverable efforts.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n We must not fall into the familiar \u2018Conference Trap\u2019 and deliberate our way into circles. Each of our convenings, whether in the General Assembly or here in this conference room, must lead to strategic advocacy, partnership formation, and the expansion of capacity building initiatives.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n They must also involve greater cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and capacity support between national and local governments, and between mayors and cities.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n We must work together to mobilize the millions of urban professionals who are keen to join our efforts. This includes architects, engineers, and urban planners. And we need to mobilize millions of new<\/em> advocates for the New Urban Agenda.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In this regard, it is my hope that the Information Note I have requested Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat to prepare on the occasion of the High-level meeting will support efforts to make the Agenda widely accessible. Specifically, it can help Member States and stakeholders identify avenues of support and highlight the knowledge and resources that are available.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This newly established Group of Friends of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat, Sustainable Urbanization and the New Urban Agenda will play a key role in this.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It can help to mobilize support for strengthening Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat with adequate resources and capacities, ensuring it is fit for purpose.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n And it can bolster greater coordination and synergies between New York, Nairobi, and Geneva so that we are all rowing in the same direction.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Excellencies, I pledge my support to the Group of Friends\u2019 aims and welcome their suggestions on how we could collaborate during the remainder of this session to accelerate action.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" United Nations Headquarters, New York<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":362,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-268217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n