BAKU, May 21 (Xinhua) -- As countries around the world seek solutions to increasingly complex urban challenges, China's experience in green, inclusive and smart urbanization offers valuable lessons for other countries, especially those in the Global South, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Anaclaudia Rossbach has said.
Rossbach made the remarks on Tuesday at a networking event of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF 13), themed "Quality and Secure Housing for Sustainable Urban Future." During the event, the Chinese side introduced the main contents of the National Report on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda in China and shared the country's policy experience and practical progress in sustainable urban development.
In her address, Rossbach said that China has been a key partner for UN-Habitat and a major contributor to advancing the new urban agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that China's report reflects its important achievements, particularly in urban regeneration and smart city innovation through a people-centered approach to urban development.
"During my first mission to China as executive director of UN-Habitat in October 2024, I visited Beijing, Shanghai and Weihai. I was impressed by how green the cities are, also blue, from nature-based solutions to the increasing use of renewable energy," she said. "The cities are also increasingly integrating digital innovation into urban governance and improving living standards."
It was officially announced at the event that this year, the Global Observance of World Cities Day 2026 will be held in October in Fuzhou, Fujian Province; the Global Observance of World Cleanup Day 2026 will be held in September in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province; and the 2026 SDG Cities Global Conference will be held in October in Shanghai.
Rossbach said that global platforms of UN-Habitat, such as the World Cities Day and the World Cleanup Day, are key global platforms for promoting exchanges, learning and international cooperation among cities.
She highlighted that the Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award) has injected new vitality into the World Cities Day platform through recognizing local efforts in advancing the SDGs, showcasing innovative solutions, and facilitating knowledge exchange. ■
