UN-Habitat Executive Director Video Message at the Opening Ceremony of the 2019 National Planning Conference October 2019

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends, warm greetings to you from the Headquarters of UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, in Nairobi, Kenya.

I am sorry I can not to join you in person today for this important Annual National Planning Conference 2019 hosted by one of our key partners in China, the Urban Planning Society of China or UPSC.

UN-Habitat has worked closely with UPSC for many years and UPSC has long been engaged in UN-Habitat programmes, especially the preparatory work for Habitat III, World Urban Forums, World Cities Day and Urban October events.

We inaugurated the “Planners for Climate Action” together with international planning organizations and national planning organizations of major countries.

We co-sponsor publications including “The State of China’s Cities” and “Human Settlements”. Dr. Shi Nan, Executive Vice President of UPSC, was appointed as a member of UN-Habitat’s  Stakeholder Advisory Group earlier this year.

As United Nations agency dealing with urban issues, UN-Habitat is dedicated to promoting the socially and environmentally sustainable development of human settlements, and to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable human settlements.

By 2050, the world’s urban population is expected to nearly double, making urbanization one of the twenty-first century’s most transformative trends.

The increasingly concentration of population, economic activities, social and cultural interactions along with environmental impacts pose massive sustainability challenges in terms of housing, infrastructure, basic services, food security, health, education, and natural resources.

Over the past four decades, China has witnessed unprecedented urbanization and has taken a series of effective policies and measures to respond to the sustainability challenges.

Planning and design in China is a major driver to transform the urbanization process. China’s planning and design theories and practices are a helpful reference to other countries.

UN-Habitat promotes transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action to leave no one and no place behind.

Through its Strategic Plan 2020-2023 is repositioning UN-Habitat as a centre of excellence and innovation, a thought leader and go-to agency that sets the global discourse on sustainable urban development.

I am sure China will continue to generate knowledge which can be shared through UN-Habitat with all other Members States.

I am very pleased this Annual National Planning Conference 2019 is taking place during Urban October and I wish it every success.

Thank you very much!