In 2022, the UN Secretary-General will present to the General Assembly a progress report on the implementation of the New Urban Development Program. Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, President of the Advisory Committee on Local Self-Government (UNACLA), suggested including in this document a section prepared by UCLG and UNACLA, which would ensure the presentation of a direct consolidated opinion of local authorities.
A meeting of the members of the political council for the implementation of the New Urban Development Program of the United Cities and Local Authorities (UCLG) organization was held this evening in Barcelona. Participants from other countries joined the meeting online. Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan and President of the Advisory Committee on Local Self-Government (UNACLA), took part in the meeting via videoconference.

Addressing the participants of the political Council, Ilsur Metshin noted that the New Urban Development Program is closely related to the key priorities and mandate of UNACLA, as an Advisory Committee to UN-Habitat. "UNACLA should become a platform for a structural dialogue between local and regional authorities based on the representation of associations of local and regional administrations and governing bodies of UN-Habitat to develop proposals, focusing on the implementation of a New urban Development Program," said Ilsur Metshin.

The main goal of the New Urban Development Program is sustainable urban development. According to the Mayor of Kazan, this objective can be achieved through sustainable urban planning, improvement and improvement of urban rules and local legislation, improvement of the urban economy, which primarily consists in creating high-quality jobs, as well as supporting business and entrepreneurship. "The new urban development program is based on three key areas of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental. These key directions include social integration and poverty eradication, ensuring sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity and opportunities for all, and promoting environmentally sustainable urban development," Ilsur Metshin emphasized.
He also noted that every four years the UN Secretary-General submits a report to the General Assembly on the progress of the program. The next report will be presented in 2022. The Mayor of Kazan stressed that the preparation of the report should be coordinated by UN-Habitat in close cooperation with other relevant bodies of the UN system. "The report should contain a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the progress achieved in the implementation of the program and internationally agreed goals and objectives related to sustainable urbanization and human settlements," Ilsur Metshin noted and stated that the Political Council and UNACLA should assist UN–Habitat in preparing this report during 2021. In addition, he proposed to include a section in the report that would ensure the presentation of a direct consolidated opinion of local authorities.

Recall that political councils are councils created to develop the policy of the UCLG. They are led by locally elected leaders, which allows us to strengthen the political debate in our Global Organization and develop policy recommendations on strategic topics.

The activities of the political Council for the implementation of the New Urban Development Program, established at the UCLG World Council in November 2020, are aimed at exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of the New Urban Development Program. This program is the cornerstone of the development agenda and the creation of inclusive and sustainable cities and empowered territories.