国际英语资讯:UN holds first habitat assembly to address global urbanization challenges_时事

国际英语资讯:UN holds first habitat assembly to address global urbanization challenges

"We need sustainable urbanization to ensure successful and long-term development. Therefore, understanding the trend in urbanization and how it will likely unfold is crucial for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," she added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video message delivered to the assembly that the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly seeks to discuss ways of improving quality of life in cities and communities.

He said that well-planned and managed cities will lead to inclusive growth, sustainable and low-emission development, while rapid and unplanned urbanization generates severe problems, including pollution, crime, inequality, disease, vulnerability, disaster, lack of affordable housing, among others.

He, however, said that the urbanization also presented "great opportunities" in that globally, 60 percent of the urban infrastructure needed by 2030 is yet to be built.

At Monday's opening ceremony, Martha Delgado Peralta, the Mexico government's undersecretary for multilateral affairs and human rights, was elected to be president of the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly.

She said that she would do her best with the assistance and cooperation of stakeholders to work toward the objectives of the assembly and the sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 development agenda.

In his opening remarks, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged all stakeholders to support the work of the UN-Habitat, noting that the implementation of the New Urban Agenda has been slow partly because of financial and institutional constraints at the global body as well as member states' insufficient capacity to interpret, implement and report on the progress of the urban agenda.