Baku: Malaysia has urged the international community to fortify collective efforts and enhance cooperation in tackling the escalating global housing crisis, while also accelerating sustainable urban development.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia's leadership in advancing the global urban agenda amidst growing geopolitical and climate challenges was highlighted by the President of the UN-Habitat Assembly, Nga Kor Ming, during the opening of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In his keynote speech, Nga, who is also the Minister of Housing and Local Government, emphasized that housing is not merely infrastructure but a promise to future generations. He stated that the global housing crisis must be addressed through stronger multilateral cooperation, political commitment, and economic resilience. "As President of the UN-Habitat Assembly, Malaysia believes no country should face urban challenges alone. The world must redouble efforts to implement the New Urban Agenda locally and accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals," he remarked in a statement today.

Nga elaborated that nearly 2.8 billion people worldwide are affected by housing insecurity, while over two billion urban residents will face increased climate-related risks by 2040, underscoring the urgency of resilient and inclusive urban development. He also introduced the Malaysia MADANI concept as a guiding framework for implementing the New Urban Agenda, sharing the nation's achievements in providing over 1.1 million affordable homes, achieving a homeownership rate of 77 percent, planting over 115 million trees, and expanding Voluntary Local Reporting among local authorities nationwide.

Simultaneously, Nga urged world leaders to adopt human-centered urbanization, ensuring that urban planning policies focus not only on maps and infrastructure but also on the lives, dignity, and aspirations of communities, particularly vulnerable groups living in informal settlements and climate-risk areas. As Malaysia prepares to hand over the UN-Habitat Assembly presidency to the United Arab Emirates next year, Nga called on participating countries to contribute meaningfully to the 'WUF13 Call to Action' as an enduring global legacy document for sustainable urban transformation.

The World Urban Forum is a premier global conference organized by UN-Habitat to discuss sustainable urbanization and the future of cities, bringing together policymakers, international organizations, urban planners, civil society leaders, and development partners from around the globe.