HUD Attends the World Urban Forum

HUD Attends the World Urban Forum

By Cindy Campbell, Director of PD&R's International and Philanthropic Affairs Division

The biennial World Urban Forum (WUF), the world's premier conference on urban issues, was "established in 2001 by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies." UN-Habitat, a branch of the United Nations, sponsors WUF, which has become one of the most prominent international gatherings to discuss ideas and solutions to urban challenges. HUD sent a seven-member delegation led by HUD General Counsel Damon Smith to this year's forum, WUF12.

WUF12 was held in Cairo, Egypt, from November 4 to 8, 2024. This year's WUF was the largest ever, with more than 25,000 people from 182 countries participating, including 60 ministers and 45 deputy ministers. The theme for WUF12 was "It all starts at home: Local actions for sustainable cities and communities."

The International and Philanthropic Affairs Division within the Office of Policy Development and Research organized and coordinated HUD's participation in WUF12 with our colleagues in the International Organization Office at the U.S. Department of State (State Department). Preparation for the forum begins at least 6 months in advance, because the team must coordinate the delegation and its participation, including submitting session proposals. Each member of the HUD team participated as a speaker in at least one session, and most had speaking roles in two sessions. The team also attended numerous sessions that other countries hosted to reinforce the U.S. delegation's presence at this year's forum. Damon Smith represented the United States at the ministerial meeting held on November 4, 2024.

I spoke at two WUF12 sessions, including a special session that served as a followup to the G7 Sustainable Urban Development Ministers' Meeting. The session focused on how G7 countries can share best practices with other nations, particularly those in the Global South. My French and Japanese G7 counterparts also served on the panel. The G7 Sustainable Urban Development Ministers' Meeting was held in Rome on November 3 and 4, 2024, overlapping WUF12 by a day, and the Honorable Adrianne Todman represented the United States. At WUF12, I discussed the outcome document/communiqué that pledges that the G7 ministers will take the following actions:

a) continuing to support the exchange between the G7 governments on matters of common interest and practice regarding sustainable urban development, building on the Kagawa Takamatsu agreement, through various formats of consultation;

b) promoting these formats, that should be pursued to establish an ever-closer network for dialogue within and outside the Group of Seven (G7), including the European Union, with the involvement of key international partners, as [the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development] and UN Habitat, following the work carried out under the Italian Presidency on Integrated Urban Policy to achieve the [Sustainable Development Goals];

c) working with our organisations that partner directly with cities to share experiences and practice in relation to sustainable urban development, recommending the recognition of the U7 as an engagement group based on the positive outcome of dialogue with them within this urban development track.

I highlighted these actions during this session to emphasize that the United States was committed to this exchange of information. I also made sure to invite the session participants to our annual Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in June 2025. The Innovative Housing Showcase is a great opportunity for the United States to share best practices in innovative construction.

I also spoke at the Civil Society Roundtable, which focused on gathering the voices of civil society, including nongovernmental organizations, foundations, community organizations, and others to help to solve the world's most pressing urban issues. My office within HUD is the conduit for philanthropic organizations. My remarks during the session included a summary of our work to amplify the voices of civil society. I also discussed recent philanthropic roundtables, which covered subjects such as homelessness, housing production, and disaster recovery. I emphasized the need to acknowledge the voices of those with lived experience, an often-neglected aspect of philanthropic endeavors. Finally, I thanked the attendees for the hard work that they and their organizations do every day to make the world a better place.

Another session focused on UN-Habitat's Adequate Housing for All resolution, which the UN-Habitat Assembly approved in June 2023. The United States cosponsored this resolution, which will continue to be shaped at the first open-ended intergovernmental working group meeting in December 2024. The session was an opportunity for ministers to publicize this topic and to bring this resolution to action. Damon Smith, the head of our delegation, spoke on behalf of the United States.

In addition to the official WUF12 events, the HUD delegation held numerous bilateral meetings with counterparts from other countries and organizations. These bilateral meetings offer attendees another opportunity to build partnerships and foster exchanges of information and best practices while also supporting the foreign policy objectives of the State Department and White House. One notable example was a meeting hosted by Habitat for Humanity International on "Unlocking the Power of Adequate Housing for Wealth and Wellbeing through Development." We attended this meeting with our counterpart from the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

An important part of attending WUF is meeting our international counterparts on the margins. As an old friend of mine always said, the real work of a meeting never takes place during the meeting; it happens before and after the meeting. He was right, and WUF is a great opportunity to do this work. 

The next WUF will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from May 18 to 22, 2026.