New York 6th October 2015 — On the sidelines of the historic United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, UN-Habitat and the International Road Transport Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

“The MOU marks the beginning of a collaboration that will bring together the transport industry including bus, coach, taxi and truck operators, from large fleets to individual owner-operators” said Mr. Igor Runov, Under Secretary General IRU speaking during the launch of IRU’s initiative on the “Global Partnership of Sustainable Transport” (GPST).

Welcoming the GPST, Mr Andre Dzikus, Coordinator of the Urban Basic Services Branch, UN-Habitat pointed to the great potential that the SDGs could play in advancing the sustainable urban mobility agenda. “Goal 11 of the SDGs to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and its associated target to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all is a powerful impetus to promote a new and people-centered paradigm of urban mobility that looks at accessibility as the goal of all transportation." said Mr. Dzikus.

Looking forward, UN-Habitat and IRU plan to work on a number of initiatives including the GPST and UN-Habitat’s Urban Electric Mobility Initiative, that was launched at the UN Climate summit in September 2014.