ECA Presents New Harmonized Regional Framework for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (Nua) in Africa to Local Authorities

27 November 2018
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United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Addis Ababa)

-The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) hosted a session on the recently-produced Harmonized Regional Framework for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) in Africa on 22 November 2018 in Marrakech, at the Africities 2018 Summit.

Developed with the technical lead of the ECA and under the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Public Service, Local Government, Urban Development and Decentralization (AU-STC 8) and working in close consultation with member States, the new Framework aligns the global-level NUA with Africa's Agenda 2063 and other existing urban commitments and priorities. It is serves as an instrument for effective implementation and harmonized monitoring and reporting of NUA priorities on the continent.

As the new Framework was validated earlier this month (November 2018) by national experts and Ministers in Entebbe, Uganda, ECA's session represented the first opportunity to present the validated Framework to the local government constituency, a key step given the important role of sub-national and local government in implementing the NUA.

Experiences of the implementation of the NUA at various levels were shared at the session whilst opportunities for partnerships were identified. Member States and stakeholders discussed the opportunities for strengthening coordination between local government and national government in implementing the NUA, alongside aligning sub-national planning documents with their national counterparts within Africa.

Addressing the session as the representative of ECA's Executive Secretary Vera Songwe, Lilia Hachem Naas, Director of the North Africa Sub-Regional Office of the ECA, stated that, "Africa is experiencing rapid urban growth with significant implications for its growth and transformation agenda. Well-planned and managed cities and human settlements are essential if Africa is to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth and prosperity".

Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship of the Kingdom of Lesotho, and Chair of the Sub-Committee on Housing and Urban Development of the AU-STC 8 Kotiti Diholo emphasized the consultative and collaborative process used to facilitate the development of the framework. He further stated that, "the Framework, which outlines the basic ingredients for implementing the agenda, is intended to provide inspiration and guidance to us to develop our respective national implementation frameworks without which, we cannot meet our common vision". Diholo also highlighted the importance of the Framework in providing a basis for monitoring progress towards Africa's common vision of promoting sustainable cities and human settlements.

ECA warmly welcomed the contributions from all present at the session, which will inform Africa's roadmap for implementing the NUA moving forward.

Read the original article on UNECA.

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