The SDSN and UN-Habitat Launch a New Strategic Partnership to Advance the Future of Sustainable Cities
New York, New York (May 19, 2026) — At the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic partnership to accelerate inclusive, resilient, sustainable, and digitally-enabled urban development worldwide.
The three-year agreement forms the foundation for the “UN-Habitat Partnership on the Future of Cities,” a multi-stakeholder platform designed to support implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, notably Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which ensures cities and human settlements are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
The SDSN and UN-Habitat will collaborate across key priority areas, including housing and social inclusion, climate adaptation and urban resilience, sustainable mobility and green infrastructure, digital urban transformation and AI-enabled governance, and strengthened urban-rural linkages.
The partnership will bring together global urban leaders, mayors, researchers, academic institutions, policymakers, and practitioners to develop innovative policy solutions and foster international cooperation on urban challenges through high-level dialogues and events, research, and knowledge products to support urban innovation and governance. The partnership will also support the implementation of UN-Habitat’s 2026–2029 Strategic Plan, with a particular emphasis on adequate housing, land, and basic services.
For more information, visit www.futurecities.org.
About the SDSN
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) works under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to mobilize universities, think tanks, and research centers to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. Established in 2012 by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and economist Jeffrey Sachs, the SDSN promotes evidence-based solutions, policy analysis, education, and global cooperation at the intersection of science, policy, and practice.
About UN-Habitat
UN-Habitat is the United Nations entity responsible for sustainable urbanization. It has programmes in over 90 countries supporting policymakers and communities to create socially and environmentally sustainable cities and towns. UN-Habitat promotes transformative change in cities through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance, and collaborative action. To know more, visit unhabitat.org.