Ambassador Hamdi Shaaban, Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation, chairing a high-level meeting to discuss preparations for Egypt’s upcoming 12th World Urban Forum (WUF). Photo courtesy of Egypt's Affairs Ministry
The WUF, convened under the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) every two years, aims to address rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and policies.
The forum’s current edition will be held in the African continent for the first time in over two decades.
On Wednesday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a high-level meeting chaired by Ambassador Hamdi Shaaban, assistant foreign minister for international cooperation, in the presence of Ambassador Atef Salem, general coordinator of the WUF, and representatives of the UN-Habitat and key ministries.
The meeting tackled the challenges of sustainable urbanization.
It emphasized the importance of showcasing Egypt’s experience in urban development and planning over the past decade, according to the Egyptian foreign ministry’s statement.
Wednesday’s meeting also underscored that Egypt's hosting of the WUF should positively impact its efforts to boost its national economy, particularly in urban and housing development.
The statement noted that the forum presents a valuable opportunity to promote the export of Egyptian real estate and introduce new investment projects in the real estate sector.
Furthermore, it noted that real estate developers, the private sector, and major Egyptian companies are encouraged to leverage this opportunity to showcase their capabilities, expand international partnerships, and strengthen their presence in Arab and African markets.
Meanwhile, Cairo's Governor Ibrahim Saber held a separate follow-up meeting on Thursday with Ambassador Salem to continue discussions on Egypt's preparations for the 12th WUF.
This follow-up meeting was attended by Dr Rania Hedeya, the UN-Habitat regional director; Ahmed Rizk, the UN-Habitat office director in Cairo; and several leaders from the governorate.
It included a presentation of proposals for field and tourism visits organized by the Cairo Governorate for participating ministers, international dignitaries, and delegations, along with suggestions for events to be held before and during the forum.
Governor Saber stressed the governorate's dedication to offering full support to showcase Cairo in a way that highlights Egypt's prominent status internationally.
It will highlight the urban development priorities of developing countries in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UN established the WUF in 2001. It is the second most important event on the UN agenda after the climate summit.
Those wishing to attend the forum can register at https://wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf12 before 30 October 2024.
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