Delhi, 14 November 2014: UN-Habitat’s Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos has said that the agency is committed to help Prime Minister Modi to implement ambitious plans that he has recently announced for the sustainable development of India’s cities.

He made the remarks during a recent official visit to Delhi where he met with relevant government officials and project implementers and welcomed the country’s commitment to addressing the challenges of urbanisation head on while seizing the opportunities it presents.

Brussels, 11 November 2014-- UN-Habitat Deputy Executive Director Dr. Kacyira Kirabo last Friday attended a meeting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States meeting in Brussels where she appraised the ambassadors and representatives present on her agency’s work in slum upgrading.

Mexico, 31 October 2014 – Urban experts met in the Mexican cities of Zapopan and Monterrey during the "Planning Dense Cities in the 21st Century: Tools for Redevelopment" conferences held between 29 and 31 October 2014.

In Zapopan, the event addressed, among others, issues of regulation and development standards, the optimization of urban form, and economic and social benefits of agglomeration policies.

London, 1 November 2014 – Ideas on improving city life have poured in from around the globe for the World Cities Day Challenge hosted by the Guardian Online.

Organised in conjunction with the first World Cities Day, celebrated on 31 October, the Guardian Cities site hosted a live event throughout the day where more than 30 cities pitched their ideas for making their cities more liveable for their populations.

With the recent launch of the Habitat UNI network webpage (www.urbangateway.org/UNI), UN-Habitat has reinvigorated its main mechanism for partnerships with the global academia and researchers. Adding to a count of six currently established and operational Thematic Hubs, the initiative will see the creation of three new Hubs.

The capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, will host the Ninth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF9) in 2018. UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, as the convener of WUF, announced the decision on Monday 3 November as the culmination of a six months bidding process.

Shanghai 31 October 2014 The first World Cities Day has been commemorated across the globe under the theme “Leading Urban Transformation”.

In his statement to mark the occasion, United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon “With the decision by the United Nations General Assembly to establish World Cities Day, we now have an annual date on which to celebrate one of humankind’s greatest and most complex creations.”

Nairobi, 28 October 2014 – UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat has said that affordable housing should be put back at the centre of cities, both in terms of planning and policy, and geographical location.

He made the comments at the launch of the report, “A blueprint for addressing the global affordable housing challenge” by the McKinsey Global Institute, the research arm of international private consulting firm, McKinsey.

Sabzevar, Iran, 24 October 2014: The Urban Development and Revitalization Organization (UDRO), Sabzevar Municipality and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing to collaborate on slum upgrading in Sabzevar in northern Iran.  

Ajit Saxena ( India) Mr Saxena, is an engineer and environment expert working for last 25 years with government, non-governmental and international organisation on water, sanitation, and hygiene and energy sector. He has contributed for design and development, programme management, public private participation and DPR preparations.