Abu Dhabi signs agreement with UN-Habitat to host 10th World Urban Forum in 2020

On 17 October 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities signed an Agreement with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for Abu Dhabi to host the tenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF10) in 2020. This will be the first time an Arab country hosts the landmark Forum.

WUF10 will be convened by UN-Habitat and jointly organized with the Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities, along with partners including the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and General Secretariat of the Executive Council.

The Forum will provide a platform to discuss 21st century city planning within a context of rapid development with specific cultural and demographic considerations. It will showcase the Abu Dhabi Plan through which the city aims realize its long-term sustainable development vision through concrete achievements that position the Emirate as a benchmark in a region with one of the fastest rates of urbanization in the world.

WUF10 will lead to new partnerships and actions to meet the challenges of urban areas. Key topics including human capital, resource management, education and culture, mobility, data and much more, will be discussed during the five-day conference.

The Forum will bring together some 20,000 delegates from more than 150 countries. It will provide an opportunity to strengthen relationships and engagement and demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating sustainable and context based practices in developed and developing countries.

In the lead up to the Forum, the Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities will host the first Pan-Arab Urban Development Symposium in partnership with UN-Habitat in April 2019.

Original source: UN Habitat
Published on 17 October 2018