Implementing the New Urban Agenda at All Levels and with All Actors

Implementing the New Urban Agenda at All Levels and with All Actors

The approval of the New Urban Agenda is a global milestone and achievement. This will contribute to the solution of challenges in sustainable development the planet is currently facing. Moreover, it will accelerate development in all countries, while addressing existing and emerging social, economic and environmental issues. However, the desired impact can only be achieved if implemented with participation of all actors and at all levels of governments, following an inclusive process of prioritization and strengthened ownership at the country and city level. Undoubtedly, the iimplementation of the New Urban Agenda will be closely linked with other international agendas, such as Agenda 2030, Addis Ababa Action Agenda, Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction and Paris Agreement.

At the global level, the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, including its follow up and review, should be inclusive and ensure coherence and integration with other development frameworks, as well as considering the relevance and key contribution that the national, sub-national and the local levels assume. In particular, local governments as direct implementers and key experts, should be taken into consideration and supported in the implementation process and they should be involved in the global debates and multilateral frameworks in order to receive and incorporate their feedbacks.

Moreover, the New Urban Agenda proposes that the element of public participation should be further developed and introduced at all stages of the implementation, starting from identification of needs and priorities, policy design and intervention as well as monitoring and review, introducing adequate mechanisms to ensure inclusivity, transparency and accountability.

The participation of private sector, businesses and industries, with developed social responsibility, should also be strengthened for their capacity to mobilize resources critical for the implementation of the new urban agenda as well as to bring creativity and innovation towards solving challenges of sustainable urban development. The implementation of the New Urban Agenda could help to create a strategic collaborative framework with clear and transparent rules, on the foundation of strong accountability principles and mechanisms.

In order to achieve its effective implementation, the New Urban Agenda, for its effective implementation, also advocates for multi-stakeholder partnership engagement as well as better coordination and cooperation among all levels of governments both horizontally at the urban and territorial level and vertically among the different tiers of governments, including sectoral departments, towards an integrated approach to sustainable urban development. The entire process must permeate the concept and practice of learning through extended exchanges of urban solutions and practices between cities and territories and with the support of international communities.

This High Level Round Table session will focus on discussing specific and concrete initiatives, partnerships, synergies and mechanisms conducive to an effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels and with all actors.

Guiding questions: 

• What are the key actors and what is their role in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
• What specific measures would help to mobilize and engage all relevant actors in the implementation of the new urban agenda?
• How can we ensure that all social groups, including the poor and those living in informal settlements, are effectively engaged in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
• What mechanisms and actions should be undertaken at national and local level to ensure better coordination and sectoral integration for an effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
• What specific actions and mechanisms would help to ensure effective follow up and review mechanisms at national and local levels?
• What are effective new and/or existing inclusive platforms to mobilize support in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels?
• What is role of data, and information and communication technology (ICT) in support of an effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels and with all actors?