Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly
21 April 2022
His Excellency Mr. Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of the Economic and Social Council,
Excellencies, distinguished delegates,
I thank President Kelapile for convening today’s event, and for inviting me to address the Economic and Social Council.
I also thank President Kelapile for the high level of coordination between our two charter bodies. This is exemplified by how both the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council are examining progress on the New Urban Agenda, within their respective mandates.
We need to build on these synergies, leveraging all the tools afforded by the United Nations systems. That is how we will accelerate and scale up our efforts to deliver for the people we serve.
Excellencies,
Today’s discussion on inequalities, and UN system support for the New Urban Agenda, aligns with ECOSOC’s Charter mandate as a coordinator, convener and specialized body for policy dialogues on development. Through this mandate, ECOSOC plays an important role in helping us attain the Sustainable Development Goals.
A clear message we must take from today’s discussion is that the New Urban Agenda must guide our efforts to address inequalities in urbanization, in both developing and developed countries alike.
The New Urban Agenda’s universality stems from its linkages to not only SDG 11 on “sustainable cities and communities”, but across the whole spectrum of SDGs. Achieving the New Urban Agenda’s goals will accelerate our progress on human welfare and security globally. And on the climate front, it will help keep our 1.5-degree target alive.
In this regard, I thank the President of ECOSOC for his membership on my Advisory Committee on Sustainable Urbanization. This Committee’s work is central to the High-Level Meeting’s preparations. And President Kelapile’s participation has been an essential bridge between the work of the General Assembly and ECOSOC.
Excellencies,
Realizing the objectives of the New Urban Agenda will require a comprehensive effort. An effort which mobilizes millions of urbanization professionals from across the globe – engineers, architects, urban planners, and surveyors, among many others. Working alongside them, member states and stakeholders should forge the partnerships necessary to effectively meet our aspirations.
I hope that our deliberations today, and next week, will allow us to leverage UN systems at local, regional and global levels, to do just that.
I am sure that our conversation today will reveal many important insights and perspectives. Many of these insights will be shared by the President of ECOSOC, in the High-Level Meeting I will convene in the General Assembly on 28th April. I look forward to hearing them, and I wish you all a very productive meeting.
Thank you.
