PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will continue to support the mandate of the United Nations (UN) Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, as the country's urbanisation rate is predicted to reach 85 per cent by 2040.

This was conveyed by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming during his meeting with newly appointed UN-Habitat executive director Anaclaudia Rossbach in New York, the United States, recently.

Nga said Malaysia believes in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which is adopted by more than 190 countries under the UN, as a constructive way to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"We must avoid a tale of two cities...We cannot have one part of our cities for the poor and one part for the rich," he said in a statement today.

He said Malaysia would accelerate the SDG implementation by assigning each SDG to a specific lead ministry to strategise, plan and take action in delivering effective and innovative solutions.

"We hope to reach zero incidence of poverty by 2025. We believe that housing, especially the provision of adequate and affordable housing, is critical for us to achieve sustainable development," he said while sharing Malaysia's continued commitment to support the New Urban Agenda platform, which would help member states in the Asia Pacific region to prepare and submit their NUA reports.

UN-Habitat is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable cities and urban management to provide adequate shelter for all.

Rossbach from Brazil succeeds Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif of Malaysia who held the position from 2018 to 2024. - BERNAMA

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/1078097/malaysia-will-continue-support-mandate-un-habitat