New Urban Agenda

 "It is often said that, like all politics, all development is ultimately local.  As the world strives for a more sustainable path in the years ahead, particularly beyond 2015, local voices and local action will be crucial elements in our quest. That is why I welcome the creation of the Global task force of local and regional governments. The task force will provide important inputs for post-2015 development planning and for efforts to articulate a set of goals for sustainable development.

Elected representatives of local and regional governments were welcomed by the Vice President of ECOSOC and UN Secretary General Representative in New York. The UN Secretary General sent the following message to participants: "I welcome the creation of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments for 2015 and towards Habitat III".  The Secretary General’s message also called for greater political representation of local and regional authorities to enable them to participate in global policy making.