Overview

UN-Habitat’s Project Coordination Office for Countries of the CIS covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan as an Associate Member.

The universal agenda of the NUA and SDGs calls for UN-Habitat to work globally.  Working in the CIS region responds to this broadened geographical focus.  The demonstrated demand for UN-Habitat’s work in the CIS region, combined with many opportunities for partnership emerging, provides a key role and responsibility of UN-Habitat to respond. At the same time, there is a visible need to raise advocacy and awareness on the NUA and urban SDGs.

UN-Habitat partners with national and local governments, academia, civil society and the private sector in these countries in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and SDG11.  We support processes including on National Urban Policies, the City Prosperity Initiative, housing policy, urban resilience, and overall development of the knowledge base, and exchange of best practices, in these countries. There is also an interest to work on smart cities.

Overview

In the context of profound changes in management and control mechanisms, and transition to a market economy, development has been boosted in the cities of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

At the same time, they face a wide range of challenges. These include: stagnation of small and medium human settlements (including monocities); exacerbation of traffic problems; growing pressures on urban infrastructure including solid waste management; ; growing inequalities; lack of effective management and maintenance system for multi-storey housing stock; lack of social and affordable rental housing for socially vulnerable groups; inadequate use of innovative energy- and resource-saving technologies and measures; unclear and overlapping functions, powers and competences of central and regional executive authorities, as well as local governments; lack of finance for the implementation of development programs in urban areas.

Urban numbers

Housing stock in CIS countries has increased by 11.5% since 2000.

Residential housing sector is a major energy consumer in Russia, which accounts for: 23 per cent of primary energy consumption; 21% of final energy consumption; 42% of final consumption

National poverty threshold is very high: Tajikistan (46.7%), Kyrgyzstan (37%) and Armenia (32%). Kazakhstan (2.9%), Belarus (4.8%), and Azerbaijan (5.3%) are rather successfully combating unemployment

Country Beneficiaries

“I look forward to ways to more closely implement and monitor the commitments of Habitat III. The Urban Development Code of Moldova has made good use of UN-Habitat’s work.”

Serghei Munteanu, National Coordinator for the Habitat III Report in Moldova

Donors and partners

With its partner organizations, UN-Habitat Project Coordination Office for Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) serves as a contact point for any country within the region that needs advice, information or practical assistance in various areas of urban development as well as a platform for the exchange of experience, knowledge and best practices. The success of UN-Habitat work in the CIS Region depends on successful partnerships, particularly with local authorities and governments.

Partners

Partners

Contact

Ms Åsa Jonsson
HQ Coordinator, Project Coordination Office for Countries of the CIS, Programme Division

Highlighted Publications