04.03.2021

Sub-National Urban Policy Guide wasLaunched with a Panel

UN-Habitat (specifically the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section), together with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the support of the Andalusian Agency of International Development Cooperation (AACID), have developed a Sub-National Urban Policy: A Guide as an instrument to support urban management for governments and stakeholders. The guide was launched with a virtual meeting on 25 February 2021.

The Guide is framed within the set of publications on urban policies of UN-Habitat The launch event and dialogue presented the guide, its importance within the context of the 2030 and New Urban Agendas, and representatives from local and regional governments shared their specific experiences related to subnational urban policies.

In her openning speech, Executive Director of UN-Habitat Maimunah Mohd-Sharif said that “The #COVID19 pandemic has made very clear that we cannot overcome the current challenges alone. It is essential that national, regional, and local governments. join efforts to achieve sustainable urban development. The Sub-National Urban Policy Guide is an instrument to support urban policymakers, expands knowledge & engagement with a better understanding of what subnational policies are, who benefits from them & the problems they intend to solve."

Secretary General of UCLG Emilia Saiz said that the guide fills a gap between national approach and vision, but also the territorial approach and those spaces that need to be filled up with the vision and knowhow and the expectation of the territories.

Secretary General of Marmara Municipalities Union M. Cemil Arslan, introduced the Strategic Framework Document for the Marmara Region Spatial Development in his presentation. Arslan said “With the increasing uncertainty, cities must find more interactive, responsive and innovative solutions to new challenges. We need action-oriented, flexible and participatory “strategic documents” to reduce interregional socio-economic development differences, increase competitiveness with the world, and increase the capacity of cooperation at the local level.”

Please click to download Sub-National Urban Policy Guide: https://unhabitat.org/sub-national-urban-policy-a-guide