Director-General's remarks at the Fourth Forum of Mayors - Cities Summit of the Future

Opening of the Fourth Forum of Mayors - Cities Summit of the Future

Monday, 30 September 2024, at 10.00 a.m.

Room XVII, Palais des Nations

Excellencies,

Dear mayors, 

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all today to the Palais des Nations.

Let me first of all thank the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and its Executive Secretary, Ms. Tatiana Molcean, for organizing the Fourth Forum of Mayors at such a pivotal time.

I am encouraged to see how fast the Forum of Mayors has transformed into a multilateral and inclusive platform enabling local governments to fully participate in global debates and develop collective solutions that respond to people’s concerns. The Forum – which is now a UN formal body under the UNECE Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management - has become a unique space for cooperation in the region and well beyond. 

Today, we stand at a crucial moment for humanity. Our world faces profound and interconnected challenges: climate change, urbanization, social inequality, and economic instability. 

At the Summit of the Future held earlier this month, Governments adopted the Pact for the Future, which provides a framework to reinvigorate our multilateral system to effectively address the challenges of today and tomorrow. 

It is now the turn of cities to discuss the various implications of the Pact. Cities are home to over half of the world’s population, and by 2050, nearly 70% of people will live in urban areas. This means that the future of the world is, in many ways, the future of cities. Therefore, it is very appropriate that this edition of the Forum was renamed ‘the Cities Summit of the Future’.

Local governments are at the center of addressing today’s complex challenges and crafting solutions for a sustainable and equitable world. Mayors and city governors play a crucial role in how global ambition of the SDGs can transform into local realities that affect each and every one of us. 

People everywhere are looking to their leaders for solutions to the challenges they face in their daily lives — affordable housing, jobs, clean air, safety, and health. Mayors are uniquely positioned to respond because they understand these challenges in a way that transcends short-term political aims. Your proximity to communities means that you see the nuances, hear the voices, and act with urgency. You are the architects of practical, immediate solutions.

While every city is unique, many challenges they face are universal. Solutions developed in one city can inspire others across the world. It is my hope that the particular ‘spirit of Geneva’ will guide you all along your exchanges at this Forum.

The United Nations is committed to strengthening partnerships with cities. To achieve the SDGs and fulfill the vision of the Pact for the Future, we must integrate local governments into global decision-making. This Forum is an important step forward in this direction. 

The path before us is challenging, but I am confident that the creativity, courage, and commitment of mayors will illuminate the way forward. Because you are not only shaping your cities; you are shaping the future of our world.

May this Forum be a space for bold ideas, innovative partnerships, and a renewed determination to build resilient, sustainable, and inclusive cities for all.

Thank you.