KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 8
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh has called for the cooperation of the United Nations and UN-Habitat to address Nepal's critical urban challenges.
In bilateral meetings on Friday with Kazuko Ishigaki, Regional Representative for UN-Habitat Asia and Pacific, and Hanaa Singer Hamdy, UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, held on the sidelines of the 12th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) in Cairo, Egypt, Minister Singh emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to overcome Nepal's urban issues.
Ishigaki pledged continued support from UN-Habitat for fact and data-driven projects in Nepal, while Hamdy affirmed the UN's commitment to robust collaboration for sustainable urban development.
She also highlighted the importance of localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN-Habitat's role in tackling urban development challenges.
Deputy Prime Minister Singh addressed three sessions at WUF12, utilizing the 'Cities and Climate Crisis' session on Tuesday to highlight the urgency of climate justice and seek technical cooperation for city-level climate adaptation to achieve inclusive and resilient urbanization.
"For Nepal, the climate crisis is a daily reality. We are among the most vulnerable countries to climate change, already experiencing its devastating impacts on lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure, in both rural and urban areas," he told the forum.
The 12th World Urban Forum, which began on November 4, concludes today. Deputy Prime Minister Singh is expected to return to Nepal at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow
