ECLAC
Regional Action Plan for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda...
I. Regional Action Plan for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean 2016-2036 A. Background MINURVI recognized the need for a regional action plan for the implementation of the NUA in Latin America and the Caribbean and the "the exchange of knowledge and experiences for the strengthening of national policies” in the Asunción Declaration (2016) endorsed at the XXV General Assembly of MINURVI; as well as in Habitat III with the presentation of the Regional Report (MINURVI, ECLAC and UN-Habitat 2016). The Regional Report, entitled "Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges, dilemmas and commitments towards an agenda for urban development," was prepared by MINURVI with the collaboration of ECLAC, and UN-HABITAT and with the support of the French Regional Cooperation. In order to facilitate the development of the RAP and the establishment of a regional observatory to track its implementation, a strategic partnership was established between ECLAC, UNHabitat and MINURVI. During Habitat III, Alicia Bárcena, the Executive Secretary of ECLAC made explicit the Regional Commission’s commitment to support MINURVI in the implementation and monitoring of the NUA in the region and specifically in the creation of a regional observatory for follow up and review (ECLAC, 2016a). ECLAC occupies a strategic position to facilitate regional commitments by Member States, subnational governments and other relevant actors to enable the development of a regional action plan and foster subregional, national and subnational action. Furthermore, in collaboration with other agencies it can strengthen the coordination of urban and territorial development strategies and programmes supporting an integrated regional approach to sustainable urbanization and the widespread implementation of the NUA. The NUA highlights the role of UN-Habitat as the focal point for urbanization and sustainable human settlements, and particularly, for the implementation, follow up and review of the NUA, in collaboration with other entities within the United Nations system. Furthermore, the NUA calls upon other United Nations organisms and programmes and other stakeholders to guide the empirical and practical implementation of the NUA and the urban dimension of the SDGs, in close collaboration with the Member States, local authorities, major groups and other interested parties, by the mobilization of experts. 15