National Urban Policies

Understanding that National Urban Policies have been identified as a key tool which can be used by governments and other stakeholders to support the implementation of global agreements in their countries, the policy dialogue aims to:

• Give opportunity for countries to explain the reasons why they decided to undertake the development of a National Urban Policy, and particularly the thematic drivers that were key to the initiation of the process.
• Allow countries to share their experiences on specific actions taken during different stages of a National Urban Policy process. Goal is to further understand the different approaches in developing National Urban Policies and what requirements/actions are necessary to be taken by governments and other stakeholders to achieve transformative results. Panellists will build on their respective experiences to inspire other actors how to engage in an effective National Urban Policy process.
• Identify how National Urban Policies are being used at national and sub-national levels as a key instrument to implement global agreements such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda.

To harness the opportunities of urbanization and mitigate its negative externalities there is need for a coordinated approach with clear policy directions. Managing urbanization in a sustainable and equitable manner means that planning and policy must address wider-ranging questions, which will inevitably require a higher level of vertical and horizontal coordination in the form of national level guidance.

A National Urban Policy is a tool that can be used by governments to provide a vision which can guide and manage urbanization. With input from the regional and local levels, a coordinated effort from the national level government through a National Urban Policy provides one of the best opportunities for the development of a coordinating and thorough nation-wide urban development plan.

The experience of countries which have a National Urban Policy has shown that it can promote linkages between sectorial policies; strengthen urban, peri-urban, and rural links through more integrated national level territorial development; and support a stronger connection between national, regional and local governments, while defining closely the roles and responsibilities of each.

With the recent adoption of global development frameworks, such as the Agenda 2030, the New Urban Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework, National Urban Policies have been identified as a key tool to support the implementation and monitoring of the global urban agenda.

The New Urban Agenda has given explicit emphasis to the importance of National Urban Policies for sustainable urbanization, and commits to taking measures to enhance the ability of governments to develop and implement such over-arching policies. Subsequently, UN-Habitat has elaborated the Action Framework for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (AFINUA), providing a non-exhaustive list of the foundational elements required for urbanization including a central role for National Urban Policies.

Q1: What are some of the key thematic drivers of the National Urban Policy in your context and how does this relate to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals in your country?

Q2: Why is a National Urban Policy a critical tool for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs?

Q3: How did you set up the process of developing a National Urban Policy?

Q4: What are some of the key findings/lessons from the National Urban Policy process in your countries/contexts?

Q5: What are some of the mechanisms you are using to the develop the National Urban Policy in your context?

Q6: What are some of the instruments you are using (or plan to use) to implement the National Urban Policy in your country?

Q7: What can your institution do to support the implementation of the National Urban Policy in your country and beyond?