NAIROBI, 28 March 2019: - The internet and other digital technologies can drive sustained and inclusive economic growth, social and cultural development, and environmental protection and promote sustainable accelerated achievement of SDG 11 - making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Mannheim, Germany – 26 March 2019 – The Global Strategic Dialogue Series held its first session, convened jointly by the City of Mannheim and UN-Habitat. Focusing on the role of private sector in advancing the 2030 Agenda, the Dialogue explored the ways in which business, industry, investors and start-ups can contribute to the SDGs, particularly Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Nairobi, 26 March 2019- UN-Habitat in partnership with the United Nations Office Nairobi, UN Environment, Nairobi City County and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy  (ITDP) and Critical Mass Nairobi  last week launched the first ever bike train in Nairobi.

Kismayo, 26 March 2019—UN-Habitat on Monday officially handed over 79 houses and a community centre to a section of residents of Kismayo in Somalia. The project was executed under the Swedish funded Innovative Solutions for Displacement in Somalia Project.

UN-Habitat and New York University’s Marron Institute of Urban Management are organising a five-day course for city leaders to develop skills and exposure to best practices in metropolitan finance and policy making in municipalities, metropolis, and megacities.

The course, which will be in the form of interactive lectures and project-oriented workshops, will run from 15 July to 19 July 2019 at New York University (NY, USA).

On Friday 15th of March 2019, upon request of Madame Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, the Secretary-General António Guterres endorsed the Guidance Note of the Secretary General on “The United Nations and Land and Conflict”. This is a milestone in the journey towards a sustained and coherent engagement of the UN System on land and conflict to prevent conflict and sustain peace.

March 2019 Kismayo, Somalia – As part of the Somalia Strengthening Institutions for Public Works Project RAJO (SSIPWP) and Youth Employment Somalia (YES), 280 young Somali women and men have graduated from three months of comprehensive training to empower them with knowledge and skills for careers in the construction sector, a booming industry across Somalia as the country rebuilds with good employment prospects for young people.

Baalbek, Lebanon, 25 March 2019-- In the old tiny alleys of Baalbek, enthusiastic workers dig into the rich caves of what is commonly known as Mogher Tehine, an archaeological site encompassing natural caves and manmade tunnels built centuries ago. The name itself literally means “flour caves” in Arabic, and it was derived mainly from the fact that the stones of the Mogher are chalky in nature and would turn into what feels like wheat flour when fragmented.

Nairobi, 22 March 2019 - As the World Water Day is marked today, it is worth noting that billions still lack safe water and sanitation facilities. These people are being left behind for reasons related to their gender, ethnicity, culture and/or socioeconomic status, among others. Exclusion, discrimination, entrenched power asymmetries, poverty and material inequalities are among the main obstacles to fulfilling the human rights to water and sanitation and achieving the water-related goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Kaluga, Russia, 15 March 2019 – UN -Habitat and the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities Sector of the Russian Federation (Minstroy), the Kaluga Region Government, and a non-profit organization Digital economy have jointly convened an international forum on Smart City: Application guide in the Russian city of Kaluga.