Nigeria Chairs 2024 UN-Habitat Executive Board

The first session of the 2024 Executive Board Meeting of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme has commenced in Nairobi under the Chairmanship of Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa.

Special Assistant Media and Strategy to the minister, Mr. Mark Chieshe, in a statement said the session which is being held at the UN-Habitat Headquarters is holding between May 6 – 8, 2024.

In his opening remarks, Arc. Dangiwa tasked members of the Board to redouble their efforts towards repositioning the organisation as an impactful global tool for tackling human settlements’ challenges in a structured and sustainable manner.

“As members of the Executive Board, I must draw our collective attention to the fact that our nations, at this time, are among the privileged few tasked with the important responsibility for the regular supervision of the global human settlements agenda. We have a moral obligation to approach this duty with our best efforts, utmost sincerity, and the highest responsibility for the good of mankind,” the statement said.

He added, “To this end, during my Chairmanship, I intend to pursue global collaboration in partnership with the various regional and political groups, and I would count on your support as I look forward to active engagement to bring this organisation to its rightful footing.”

The minister, who also doubles as the Chairman of the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Bureau of the Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), said he sees his unique positions as an opportunity to forge strategic alliances that are beneficial to actualising the mandate of UN-Habitat.

The UN-Habitat Executive Board is a legislative body of UN-Habitat, comprising 36 member states elected by the UN-Habitat Assembly with 10 seats for Africa, one of which is occupied by Nigeria currently as its chair currently.

Eight seats are reserved by Asia and Pacific states, four for Eastern Europea, 6 seats for Latin America and Carribean states, and 8 for Western Europe and other member nations.