United Nations Task Team

Over 100 UN urban experts from 28 UN agencies were actively involved and coordinated to draft the Issue Papers, which were departing point for the work of the Policy Units as background reference and constituted the basis of the Special Sessions organized at the Habitat III Conference.

The UNTT also served as co-lead agencies and as part of the advisory boards for Policy Units. Participating UN agencies were invited to draw on their expertise to comment on the Policy Frameworks, with their comments transmitted to the Policy Units’ experts and co-leads for inclusion in the elaboration of the Policy Papers. In the framework of the elaboration of these Policy Papers, the task team was also invited to propose cross-cutting expert group meetings (CCEGM) in order to provide recommendations to the Policy Unit experts as well as to drafting the New Urban Agenda. During the preparatory process of elaborating the Policy Papers, and negotiating the New Urban Agenda from November 2015 to July 2016, there had been a total of nine EGMs led by the UNTT in five different cities to discuss and bring their guidance and recommendations on the relevant thematic areas. These EGMs brought a large number of experts that met in person and remotely from different regions to discuss specific thematic issues: culture, water, human rights, food security, land, gender perspectives, health, safer cities and smart cities.

A total of 28 UN personnel from nine agencies moderated the Urban Dialogues, online discussions over the course towards Habitat III with the aim of integrating all voices and bringing forward new and emerging thinking in the elaboration of the New Urban Agenda. These moderators played an essential role in leading and coordinating the dialogues, and ensuring an inclusive and focused discussion on each relevant thematic area.

During informal intergovernmental negotiations and informal hearings on the New Urban Agenda, the UNTT moderated multiple sessions and made language recommendations to the New Urban Agenda in different stages of its drafting.

At the conference in Quito, 47 different UN agencies, funds, and programmes played essential roles in interventions at the plenary sessions by delivering statements, having been lead discussants at the High-Level Round Tables, organizing 22 Special Sessions on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, having led four Policy Dialogues, and having organized events and exhibitions at the One UN Pavilion which provided a space showcasing the work and perspectives of several UN agencies on sustainable urban development. A total of 59 events were co-/organized by 35 UN agencies, funds, and programmes at Habitat III in Quito, contributing remarkably to the success of the conference.