PUTRAJAYA, May 30 — Malaysia has been unanimously elected president of the third session of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Assembly for 2025-2027, and as a member of its executive board for 2027-2029.
The Foreign Ministry said this in a statement today on the UN-Habitat Assembly, which met today in Nairobi, Kenya.
The UN-Habitat Assembly and the executive board are primary mechanisms of the world body that sets policy direction on sustainable urban development and human settlements.
The statement said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming will represent Malaysia and preside over the assembly as president until 2027, and will serve as one of 36 UN-Habitat executive board members from 2027 to 2029, it added.
“The Foreign Ministry, especially through the High Commission of Malaysia in Nairobi, as permanent representative of Malaysia to the UN-Habitat, will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to ensure Malaysia’s tenure in the governance of the UN body is a sterling success,” the statement read.
The Foreign Ministry thanked UN-Habitat Assembly’s 193 members for their overwhelming support and confidence in Malaysia to lead the assembly and steer the executive board towards advancing the implementation of the United Nations New Urban Agenda from 2025 to 2029.
Meanwhile, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, in a Facebook post, said Malaysia received unanimous support from all 193 member states in the election.
"The official announcement was made during the Bureau Officers Election session at the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, today," he said.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the UN-Habitat Assembly was established in 1975 and elevated to a full programme at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2001.
It is the highest global decision-making body on sustainable urbanisation and human settlements, convening every four years and playing a crucial role in shaping global policies for cities and communities.
As president, Malaysia will work closely with the UN-Habitat executive board and global partners to strengthen multilateral cooperation, promoting inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable cities worldwide.
In his speech at the assembly, Nga urged upon member states to redouble efforts to implement the New Urban Agenda.
He said this is to ensure in strengthening the multilateralism and the Habitat Agenda.
“We hope that you will continue to support the call for a High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda, especially as 2026 marks ten years after its adoption at Habitat III in Quito."
He also emphasised the need to cooperate, in line with the principle of People-Public-Private-Partnership (4Ps).
“We are stronger together when we continue sharing knowledge, foster partnerships, and ensuring that no one and no place is left behind in our urbanising world.
“During my term as President of the Assembly, let us strengthen UN-Habitat as a platform for thinking and doing. Let us ensure that the voices of local governments, women, youth, civil society, and vulnerable communities are taken into consideration when we develop policies and design action plans,” he said.
Nga said a Joint Bureau meeting will be held in Penang, on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Conference of Ministers of Housing and Urban Development this October.
”This will provide an opportunity for joint bureaus to assess the impact of the Assembly and align their support with the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026-2029,” he said.
He added that Malaysia will also play an active role at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan in May next year.
— Bernama
