FROM
The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) – ECOSOC Accredited Stakeholder
TO
United Nations Habitat Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme Resumed second session, Nairobi, 29 and 30 May 2025.
Statement in relation to agenda item 6: Strategic plan for the period 2026-2029
The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) – ECOSOC Accredited Stakeholder – is grateful to be given the opportunity to address this Assembly in relation to the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026-2029, attended by representatives from 193 member states and many other stakeholders including us.
We represent urban and regional planning professionals from over 90 countries. Our purpose is to promote the art and science of planning for the common good of present and future generations. ISOCARP is member of the Global Planners Network (also known as the GPN). The GPN is a collaboration of national and international organisations representing the planning profession globally, together we represent over 100,000 planning professionals.
ISOCARP, together with our largest institutional member Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), also present here today, would like to state our warm support for the Strategic Plan. We are heartened to note that spatial (urban and territorial) planning is being recognised as a key lever to implement the plan and achieve the SDGs by 2030, in a place-sensitive way. Inclusive and integrated planning contributes to land, housing and basic services among other impact areas of the Strategic Plan.
We also would like to re-affirm the commitment of the global planning profession to implement the 2030 Agenda, the New Urban Agenda and the International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning, stemming from our belief that there can be no sustainable development without sustainable urbanisation through effective planning.
Effective place-based planning needs resourcing and we are calling for planning capacity and capability to be given priority in the implementation of the Strategic Plan, at (sub)national government levels as well in the private sector and civil society. This cannot be achieved in isolation and will need multi-level collaboration and leadership. Investment in planning skills, knowledge and competencies will also be critical to future success.
We stand ready to play our part and support this collective global effort.
End.