ORU Fogar reiterates the regions' commitment to the New Urban Agenda
During the inauguration of the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments at the World Urban Forum 9 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ORU Fogar's President, Abdessamad Sekkal, reiterated the organization's commitment and the regions' commitment to the New Urban Agenda. "A few regions - he explained - have already begun to draw up their own agenda and, under the umbrella of UN Habitat, we are counting on many more to do so".
Prior to the assembly, President Sekkal had the opportunity to meet the newly appointed new Executive Director of UN Habitat, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, within the framework of the Global Taskforce. At this meeting, he reiterated ORU Fogar's approach in Quito during Habitat III: the debate on urbanization beyond cities should be considered. “The problems we have, -the president reiterated- can only be overcome within the framework of a balanced territory, where infrastructure and services are decentralized”.
The Forum in Kuala Lumpur, held from 7 to 13 February, featured the presentation of the New Urban Agenda for Catalonia and the Basque Country, with the presence of Agustí Serra, Catalan Director General of Planning and Urbanism, and María Aranzazu Leturiondo, Basque Deputy Councilor for Planning. Merce Conesa, president of the Provincial Council of Barcelona, also present, said that the New Urban Agenda set the framework and route of the local and regional governments.
The Assembly concluded with the approval of a document in which local and regional governments were positioned as guardians of Habitat III's legacy. Thus, the document recalled the commitments signed by all states to respect the principle of subsidiarity, as well as a territorial approach that improves the urban-rural connection.
President Sekkal took advantage of the visit to Malaysia to meet with Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Haji Mohamed Amin Nordin, and the Prime Minister of the prosperous Sengalor region, Mohamed Azmin Ali. He also met with the outgoing Executive Director of UN Habitat, Joan Clos.
Related content:
STATEMENT AT THE NINTH WORLD URBAN FORUM. World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, Kuala Lumpur, 8 February 2018
Speech of ORU Fogar's president at the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, Kuala Lumpur, 8 February 2018
