Global Stakeholder Forum Organised within the context of the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly

Theme: Stakeholders’ perspective on the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2026 – 2029 and the Stakeholder Engagement Policy.

Date: 22 – 23 May 2025, 14:00 – 17:00 hrs daily.

Introduction The Global Stakeholder Forum is intended to allow relevant stakeholders to strategise around key issues under discussion by the United Nations-Habitat Assembly. It gives voice to stakeholders as they support the work of UN-Habitat. The 2025 Global Stakeholder Forum will focus on two out of the three agenda items and overall objectives of the resumed session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in the context of UN-Habitat’s mandate and programme delivery, mainly:

1. The UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026–2029 focuses on access to adequate housing, land, and basic services. These priorities aim to create sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities and communities aligned with the New Urban and 2030 Agenda. The proposed Strategic Plan will be considered by the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly for adoption, 29 – 30 May 2025, in Nairobi, Kenya.

   
   

2. The Stakeholder Engagement Policy (SEP): The ad hoc working group on the Stakeholder Engagement Policy aims to finalise and submit a draft to the Chair of the Executive Board and the President of the Assembly for consideration. If approved at the resumed session of the Assembly, the policy will guide stakeholder engagement in UN-Habitat’s intergovernmental meetings, particularly on accreditation and stakeholder relevance to the agency’s work. It will also create opportunities for stakeholders to form meaningful coalitions, strengthening their voice in engaging Member States and shaping decisions and policies for sustainable development.

In line with the above-mentioned proposed Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and Stakeholder Engagement Policy, UN-Habitat is working towards strengthening stakeholder engagement in the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in May 2026 and beyond. To this end, a stakeholder engagement roadmap to WUF13 will be operationalised for meaningful stakeholder engagement in key aspects of WUF13. This includes enabling stakeholder inputs to the outcomes of WUF 13 (Baku Call to Action), advance preparations for WUF 14 events, and inputs towards the strategic directions of the Forum.

The World Urban Forum is a major non-legislative Forum mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to serve as a platform where experts from diverse fields and entities convene and deliberate on housing, sustainable urban development and human settlements. WUF is also intended to strengthen coordination of international support to implementation of global commitments, especially the New Urban Agenda (NUA), Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in particular SDG11 and other urban related goals. WUF12 in Egypt concluded with the Cairo Call to Action, calling for a swift response to the global housing crisis and to leveraging local efforts, while highlighting the need for a systemic representation of stakeholders in multi-level decision-making processes. WUF13 and the Global Stakeholder Forum mark key opportunities to discuss the role of stakeholders in the implementation and monitoring of the Strategic Plan and SEP, and to consider milestones related the midpoint review of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and Sustainable Development Goal 11.

In 2026, the United Nations Secretary-General will present to the UN General Assembly a mid-term review as a quadrennial report on progress in the implementation of NUA. Further a High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the mid-term review of the New Urban Agenda is planned following, or preceding, the 2026 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. The HLPF will review global progress on SDG 11, SDG 17, and other selected Goals. In the above context, the Global Stakeholder Forum will provide a platform for stakeholders to engage in discussions on how to advance the above matters towards the broader objective of promoting sustainable cities and communities.

Objectives

1. Foster inclusive discussions on the role of stakeholders in the implementation and monitoring of UN-Habitat’s proposed Strategic Plan 2026–2029, especially partnerships, coalitions and advocacy, as well as of the pending Stakeholder Engagement Policy.

   
   

2. Build consensus on a Declaration of the Global Stakeholder Forum to be delivered by accredited stakeholder during UNHA 2.2.

   
   

3. Enhance stakeholder support for monitoring and reporting on implementation of the New Urban Agenda and SDG11, including sharing of good practices, as well as the preparations for the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum

Learn more: https://unhabitat.org/governance/un-habitat-assembly/resumed-second-session-2025

Document republished from UN-Habitat (CC)