Malawi commends adoption of the new urban agenda political declaration at the United Nations General Assembly

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri, M.P., has applauded Member States of the United Nations for adopting the Political Declaration on the Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda, describing the achievement as a demonstration of the strength of multilateralism and the shared commitment to sustainable urban development.

The Minister made the remarks while addressing Member States immediately after the adoption of the Political Declaration at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly during a reception to thank member states. He was joined at the podium by the Deputy Minister of Poland, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and senior representatives from various Member States.

In his statement, Hon. Phiri expressed Malawi’s gratitude to all Member States for successfully adopting the Political Declaration, which will guide the implementation of the New Urban Agenda over the next decade.

He paid special tribute to the Government of Poland, which co-facilitated the negotiations alongside Malawi, commending the country’s professionalism, commitment, and collaborative spirit throughout the negotiations.

“Malawi greatly appreciates the excellent partnership with Poland throughout this important process. The professionalism, openness, and spirit of collaboration demonstrated by our Polish colleagues made it possible to reach a balanced and forward-looking outcome,” he said.

The Minister also acknowledged the confidence placed in Malawi and Poland by Ms. Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, for appointing the two countries as co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations leading to the Political Declaration.

He thanked the President of the General Assembly for her leadership, guidance, and unwavering support throughout the process.

Hon. Phiri further expressed appreciation to all Member States for their constructive engagement, flexibility, goodwill, and willingness to compromise, which culminated in the successful adoption of an ambitious, balanced, and action-oriented Political Declaration.

“The adoption of this Political Declaration demonstrates the enduring strength of multilateralism, constructive dialogue, and consensus-building in addressing our shared global challenges. It reflects our collective determination to build inclusive, resilient, safe, and sustainable cities and human settlements,” he said.

The Minister emphasized that the adoption of the Political Declaration should not be viewed as the conclusion of the process, but rather as the beginning of renewed global efforts to accelerate implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

“This is not the end of the journey. It is not about statistics or reports. It marks the beginning of renewed action to accelerate implementation of the New Urban Agenda over the next decade. The real work begins now,” he stated.

Speaking on Malawi’s commitment, Phiri assured the international community that the country is ready to translate the commitments contained in the Political Declaration into tangible actions.

He highlighted several reforms being undertaken by the Government to strengthen urban governance and sustainable development, including:

• Enhancing the capacity of Local Authorities to deliver quality public services;
• Digitalising local revenue collection systems to improve domestic resource mobilisation;
• Increasing development financing to Local Governments through the Reformed Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) and other fiscal decentralisation initiatives;
• Promoting climate-resilient urban development and infrastructure;
• Strengthening spatial planning and urban management systems; and
• Advancing resilience-building initiatives to ensure cities are better prepared to withstand climate change, disasters, and environmental risks.

The Minister reaffirmed Malawi’s commitment to working closely with UN-Habitat, development partners, and fellow Member States in implementing the Political Declaration and achieving the objectives of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

He concluded by calling upon all countries to transform the commitments made in New York into concrete actions that improve the lives of citizens, particularly those living in rapidly growing urban areas.

“As Malawi, we are ready to roll the engines of development. We remain committed to building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities that leave no one behind,” he concluded.

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