New york: Malaysia has urged the international community to intensify efforts to accelerate the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA), emphasizing the importance of transforming commitments into tangible outcomes for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development by 2030. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming highlighted the urgency of this mission during his participation in the High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the NUA at the United Nations Headquarters.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister Nga stressed that the current Midterm Review of the NUA represents a vital opportunity for member states to move beyond mere assessments of progress and concentrate on delivering meaningful results for the billions living in urban areas. "A midterm review is meaningless if it merely documents our shortfalls. It must be an inflection point. We have only four years left until 2030," he stated.
As the President of the UN-Habitat Assembly, Nga called upon member states to bolster their efforts in tackling significant urban challenges, including the global housing crisis, the urban digital divide, and climate resilience, while ensuring inclusivity in the pursuit of sustainable urban development. He reiterated Malaysia's commitment to offering practical, inclusive, and scalable leadership in promoting sustainable urbanization worldwide under the MADANI Economy framework.
Nga underscored Malaysia's leadership in the Asia-Pacific Urban Action Platform (AP-UAP), describing it as a crucial mechanism for localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), facilitating cross-border knowledge sharing, and enhancing green infrastructure financing across the Asia-Pacific region. He pointed out that the region's experience demonstrates the possibility of meaningful urban transformation through strong political commitment, locally driven solutions, and collaboration among governments, development partners, and local stakeholders.
"Member states must resolve to invest more in climate-resilient infrastructure. For instance, Malaysia has achieved more than 500 million square feet of green index buildings and more will be built before 2030," Nga highlighted. He urged member states to leave the High-Level Meeting with a renewed determination to create cities that are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable for both present and future generations.
Expressing gratitude, Nga acknowledged the contributions of the President of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres, Executive Director of UN-Habitat Anacl¡udia Rossbach, as well as local and regional governments, civil society organizations, and grassroots communities in advancing the NUA.
The two-day High-Level Meeting, themed "Delivering Sustainable Urbanisation for All: Accelerating and Scaling Implementation of the New Urban Agenda to 2036 Together," gathered UN Member States, senior officials, local and regional government leaders, and civil society representatives to review progress and strengthen efforts towards sustainable urban development.