The Pacific Urban Forum (PUF) is a regional event that aims to provide a unique and accessible platform for urban stakeholders to debate what creates a sustainable urban future for the region.
The Forum will have a strong focus on arrangements and actions for implementation of the New Urban Agenda and an emphasis on the importance of public, private and civil society cooperation in order to fully achieve the New Urban Agenda.
The Forum also aims to localize and scale up the implementation of the New Urban Agenda as an accelerator to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, highlights adequate housing as first target of the “Urban SDG”:
By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums (SDG 11.1)
The New Urban Agenda is also clear on the right to adequate housing:
- We commit ourselves to promoting national, subnational and local housing policies that support the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing for all as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living (NUA);
The Pacific New Urban Agenda lists as the first key action:
Upscaling and embarking on housing and settlement upgrading programmes and improving access to serviced land and housing, including through planned city extensions; building on the approaches developed in the region and global best practices.
There is a Special Session on Affordable Housing in the Pacific which aims to:
- Provide an update on the discussion on Affordable Housing globally and in the wider region
- Understand the shared and country specific challenges and issues in providing adequate and affordable housing in the Pacific Region
- Identify the challenges and opportunities presented by the SDGs and the NUA to mobilise housing solutions at all levels of government and the local/community level
- Explore models of affordable housing provision, their scalability and replicability in different national contexts
- Collaboratively develop conclusions and recommendations for inclusion in the Action Plan for the Pacific New Urban Agenda
Representatives from Governments of Fiji and PNG; Un-Habitat, academia from RMIT and Compass Housing will be on this panel.
The Forum will be a good platform for the Australian Housing Sector to have an understanding of the needs, related issues and challenges in providing affordable housing in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In particularly, understanding the context and operating environment around climate and environmental impact and resilience, Informal settlement and land tenure. The Forum also provides good opportunity to meet and network with the major Government and NGO stakeholders who are interested to engage in providing affordable housing.
Compass is a member of the Steering Committee to organise the Forum.
Please download the PU5 Concept Note here.
Register for the PUF5 event here.
For any queries on the PUF5, please email or contact Ben Wong, Manager International & Stakeholder Relations at [email protected] or 0438033801.