World Urban Forum 2024 Tackles Global Challenges in Cairo's Growing Cities
The 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12) took place in Cairo, Egypt, in 2024, focusing on practical urban solutions to global challenges. Organised by UN-Habitat, the event brought together policymakers, experts, and communities to share ideas on making cities more resilient and inclusive. The World Urban Forum was created by the United Nations in 2001, with its first session held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2002. Unlike traditional negotiating bodies, WUF serves as a 'solutions platform' where stakeholders exchange real-world experiences and strategies for urban development.
Cities now house over half the global population, a figure set to grow in the coming decades. They act as economic hubs but also face severe pressures from climate change, inequality, and rapid growth. These challenges are central to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11, which aims for sustainable cities and communities. The New Urban Agenda, adopted in 2016, guides WUF’s approach by promoting sustainable urban planning. WUF12 in Cairo built on this framework, highlighting how cities can lead in addressing global issues. Looking ahead, WUF13 will continue this focus, especially as the 2030 SDG deadline approaches.
The forum underscores the critical role of cities in global development, where both challenges and solutions are most visible. With urban areas expanding rapidly, WUF remains a key platform for shaping policies that support housing, resilience, and sustainable growth.
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