Cooperation between the OTS and UN-Habitat
About UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) was mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities and to serve as the focal point on urbanization and human settlements within the UN system.
Establishment of Cooperation
On 27 February 2023, at the Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Istanbul, the OTS and UN-Habitat signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote human settlements and sustainable urban development.
Main areas of cooperation include:
- Enhancing capacity in the field of urban governance.
- Supporting participatory budgeting and local governance systems.
- Collecting and analyzing data on urban governance.
- Organizing public awareness campaigns to promote governance reforms.
- Establishing a Regional Urban Forum for the Turkic States.
Expanding Areas of Cooperation
On 18 September 2023, during the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the OTS Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, and the Executive Director of UN-Habitat discussed:
- A draft Plan of Action including concrete steps, stages, and timelines.
- The 2nd National Urban Forum of Azerbaijan as a key platform for urban development initiatives.
- Preparations for the opening of a UN-Habitat Office in Istanbul, expected to play an important role in regional cooperation.
High-Level Meetings on Urban Planning
On 30 September 2023, Ministers responsible for urban planning of OTS Member States met in Baku.
- The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Development and Architecture.
- Representatives of the Member States and UN-Habitat took part.
- Discussions focused on the need for coordinated planning to address urban challenges.
Strategic Topics and Commitments
The OTS Secretary General emphasized the following:
- As discussed at the 8th OTS Istanbul Summit, the importance of green technologies and smart cities in the digital era.
- Establishing a platform for experts and IT specialists on smart cities within the OTS framework.
- Promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban planning.
The UN-Habitat Executive Director shared perspectives on global and regional mechanisms to address urbanization challenges.
Key Priorities and Future Cooperation
Heads of delegations highlighted the following priority areas:
- Sustainable urbanization and housing issues.
- Climate change adaptation and financial mechanisms.
- Urban renewal and regional cooperation projects.
