This paper examines the specific urban development challenges and opportunities facing the city of Kabul. It first presents the main findings from the State of Afghan Cities 2014/15 Programme land use and housing analysis.

Nairobi, Kenya, 30 April 2015 - France, Japan, South Africa and Uganda co-sponsored the Resolution 25/6 of UN-Habitat Governing Council that approved the International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning . The Resolution calls upon ‘international financial institutions, development agencies, and UN-Habitat to assist interested member States in using and adapting the Guidelines to their territorial and national contexts, where appropriate, and further developing tools and monitoring indicators’.

Nairobi 29 April 2015—The 25th session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat came to a close Thursday night, 24th April 2015, solidifying the agency’s responsibility to lead the New Urban Agenda.

The closing followed days of hard consultation and deliberation. The event saw 780 delegates and 85 UN member countries in attendance while more than 100 partner organisations were represented.

Nairobi, 29 April 2015-- A video awards ceremony took place recently to award winners of the recently concluded UN-Habitat Participatory Slum Upgrading Project video competition at the just concluded

Tam Ky City, Vietnam 28 April 2015— Tam Ky City People’s Committee, UN-Habitat and The City of Fukuoka, Japan jointly conducted the workshop on “Strengthening cooperation toward green and smart development strategy in Tam Ky”.

Nairobi, 20 April 2015 – In the sidelines of the 25th session, UN-Habitat hosted a session on ‘Human Rights in Cities and Cities for All’ which discussed human rights in the context of sustainable urbanization.

Nairobi, 17 April 2015 – The second Preparatory Committee for Habitat III – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – has closed with major decisions being taken on process and timing.

Nairobi, 15 April 2015—As a side event for the Prep Com2 for the Habitat III Conference, Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, the Deputy Executive Director of UN-Habitat, launched the new capacity development programme for city leaders.

Nairobi 14 April 2015—The second preparatory meeting (PrepCom2) of the Habitat III conference has opened in Nairobi with member states recognizing the growing role of cities in their respective country policies. The Secretary-General of the Habitat III Conference, Dr. Joan Clos, in his key note speech highlighted the link between urbanization and rural development.

Nairobi, 13 April 2015— Important international debate around sustainable urban development got underway on Monday as UN-Habitat prepared to hold the second preparatory meeting of the Habitat III conference as well as the 25th session of the Governing Council.