Latest news with #WorldCitiesSummit
Zawya
06-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman participates in the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum 2025 in Vienna
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman participated in the 14th World Cities Summit Mayors Forum, hosted this year in Vienna, Austria, from 2 to 4 July 2025. Recognised as one of the leading global platforms for urban leadership, the Forum brought together mayors, governors, urban planners and policymakers from across the globe to exchange knowledge and explore creative, scalable solutions for sustainable urban development. Held under the theme, 'Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Local Solutions, Global Impact', this year's Forum focused on sharing experiences and best practices that enhance resilience, improve service delivery and advance inclusive growth in cities across the globe. The Omani delegation was led by His Excellency Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Hamidi, Chairman of Muscat Municipality, who represented the Sultanate in a series of thematic sessions focused on topics such as affordable housing, municipal services, urban energy transition and water resilience; key priorities shaping city strategies worldwide. 'Participating in this global forum gave us the opportunity to witness how cities around the world are confronting shared urban challenges with practical, scalable solutions,' said H.E. Al Hamidi. 'For Oman, it is not only a chance to observe global trends in action, but to reflect on how we can translate these insights into policies and projects that serve the evolving needs of our cities. It also reaffirms our commitment to building an inclusive, sustainable and service-driven urban environment, one that aligns with the strategic objectives of Oman Vision 2040 and enhances the quality of life for all our citizens,' he added. The three-day programme featured thought-provoking discussions, city network exchanges and on-the-ground site visits to some of Vienna's most forward-thinking urban developments, including Karl-Marx-Hof, Seestadt Aspern, Nordbahnhof Quartier and Danube Island, which served as inspiring models of modern housing, integrated infrastructure and innovative mobility solutions. Oman's attendance marks its continued engagement with the international urban development community, building on previous participations in the World Cities Summit series. The Forum offered Oman a meaningful opportunity to engage with leading planning models and international urban frameworks, reinforcing its ambition to shape resilient, inclusive and future-ready cities. Hosted by the City of Vienna and co-organised by Singapore's Centre for Liveable Cities and Urban Redevelopment Authority, in collaboration with Urban Innovation Vienna, the forum concluded with a renewed commitment among participating cities to deepen cooperation and accelerate collective efforts toward a more sustainable urban future.
The Sun
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Call for joint action to advance global green economy
PETALING JAYA: UN-Habitat Assembly president Nga Kor Ming has called for bold, collaborative action to advance the global green economy, including joint international guidelines for green industrial buildings. His proposal during a bilateral meeting in Vienna recently with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) director-general Gerd Muller seeks to establish shared sustainability standards ahead of the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2025. Nga, who is also Housing and Local Government minister, said guidelines would be developed under a partnership between UN-Habitat and Unido, with each organisation playing a distinct role. 'Under this framework, UN-Habitat will advocate the adoption of green building standards among local councils globally, while Unido will act as the accrediting body for qualifying industrial buildings.' The goal is to cut emissions from industrial developments and promote low-carbon industrial parks worldwide. Nga emphasised the need for sustainable development that delivers real-world benefits like job creation and inclusive economic growth, especially in rural areas. 'Unido has a vital role in this transformation, particularly in the circular economy, green manufacturing and agro-industries. The time to act is now. We must create jobs, empower local councils and ensure that our progress is built on innovation and measurable results.' A joint agreement to reactivate the MoU signed between Unido and UN-Habitat in 2017, with renewed focus on climate-resilient development and rural council empowerment was taken at the meeting. Nga, accompanied by Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif and Malaysia's Ambassador to Austria and Slovakia Ikram Mohammad Ibrahim, also paid a courtesy call on the Lord Mayor of Vienna Dr Michael Ludwig. Nga congratulated Ludwig on his re-election and commended Vienna's achievement of being named the world's most liveable city for three consecutive years, a feat he attributed to strong leadership and smart urban planning. 'Vienna's urban success story proves that with vision and good governance, heritage and innovation can thrive side by side. 'As UN-Habitat Assembly president, I look forward to bringing these insights home and inspiring transformative change,' said Nga. During the 14th Mayors Forum at the WCS 2025 in Vienna, Austria on Thursday, Nga called for stronger international collaboration anchored in local action, emphasising that city-to-city cooperation must move beyond dialogue and translate into concrete, results-driven partnerships with clear timelines. 'We must institutionalise knowledge-sharing and back our intentions with innovation funding, technical hubs and measurable outcomes.' Nga proposed three key mechanisms for this, including joint innovation funds for shared urban challenges, regional hubs to address common issues and standardised metrics to track citywide progress globally. He said these strategies are drawn from Malaysia's own experience and supported by platforms such as the Malaysia SDG Cities Roadmap, Asean Smart Cities Network and the Asia-Pacific New Urban Agenda Platform to encourage knowledge sharing and scalable solutions. Highlighting global best practices, Nga cited transformative urban innovations such as Barcelona's Superblocks, Yokohama's Zero Waste policy and Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit system. Following his visit to Seestadt Aspern, Vienna's flagship smart district, Nga praised the city's long-term planning, heritage preservation and people-centric design.
New Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Malaysia urges global shift towards action-based urban cooperation
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia calls for a bold shift in global city cooperation, urging mayors and urban leaders to move beyond discussions and act on shared challenges through concrete urban partnerships. In a statement today, the Housing and Local Government Ministry said its minister Nga Kor Ming, in his capacity as the UN-Habitat Assembly (UNHA) president, made the call in his special address during the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2025, which is being held in Vienna. Nga, in addressing over 75 mayors and city leaders from around the world, underscored the urgency for city-level action rooted in local implementation and backed by innovation. "Collaboration must lead to projects that solve real urban challenges. "We must institutionalise knowledge-sharing and back our intentions with innovation funding, technical hubs and measurable outcomes," he said. Nga outlined a forward-looking approach that encourages cities to work together through mechanisms such as joint innovation funding, regional coordination on shared urban concerns, and standardised urban metrics to track the effectiveness of their initiatives. He stressed that these are not mere theoretical but tested strategies grounded in Malaysia's own experience. "Through platforms such as the Malaysia SDG Cities Roadmap, the Asean Smart Cities Network, and the Asia-Pacific New Urban Agenda Platform, we actively promote knowledge exchange and scalable solutions for sustainable urban development," he added. In reinforcing his call, Nga highlighted transformative urban models from around the world, including Barcelona's Superblocks, Yokohama's Zero Waste policy, and Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit, describing them as examples of urban innovation that achieved global impact through networked learning. According to the statement, Kuala Lumpur Mayor and Advisor on Sustainable Urbanisation Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif also shared several key insights on delivering affordable housing during her intervention speech at the Mayors Forum yesterday. She highlighted that affordable housing is more than a development target, it is a reflection of the government's social compact with the people. "Real affordability takes more than policy, it demands shared conviction... a truly inclusive city is one that listens, adapts, and responds in order to build a genuine sense of belonging with its people," she said.
The Star
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
UN-Habitat president Nga calls for innovative approaches to green economy, low-carbon industrial parks
PETALING JAYA: In his capacity as the UN-Habitat Assembly president, Nga Kor Ming has called for innovative approaches to green economy and low-carbon industrial parks in a planned collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido). The Housing and Local Government Ministry said, in a statement Thursday (July 3), that Nga who is on a working visit to Vienna in conjunction with the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2025 had put forth the plan during a meeting with Unido director-general Gerd Müller at the Vienna International Centre on Wednesday (July 2). During the meeting, Nga proposed the development of integrated international guidelines between UN-Habitat and Unido for green industrial buildings. Under the proposed framework, UN-Habitat would advocate for the adoption and implementation of these standards among local authorities worldwide while Unido would act as the accrediting body for buildings that comply with the criteria. The ministry said that the proposal which aims to reduce carbon emissions from industrial buildings and promote the development of low-carbon industrial parks was positively received by Müller. It said that Nga noted that sustainable development must be rooted in job creation and inclusive economic development regardless of urban or rural areas. 'Unido has a critical role to play in this transformation, particularly through its focus areas such as the circular economy, green manufacturing and agro-industry. The time to act is now. We must create jobs and empower local councils as part of our pathway toward green inclusive cities and we need to ensure that progress is anchored in innovation and measurable outcomes,' he said. The ministry said that other key outcomes of the meeting was the mutual agreement to reactivate the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Unido and UN-Habitat in 2017 where both parties agreed to intensify collaboration on climate-resilient initiatives and the empowerment of local councils especially in rural areas. The ministry said Nga who was accompanied by Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif and the Ambassador of Malaysia to Austria and Slovakia Ikram Mohammad Ibrahim also visited the Lord Mayor of Vienna, Dr Michael Ludwig. The Malaysian delegation also toured Vienna City Hall and is scheduled to visit Seestadt Aspern, Vienna's flagship smart district on Thursday together with Singapore's Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat. The ministry said the tour is to explore how urbanisation can successfully integrate smart city technologies, modern architecture, green spaces, and recreational facilities while preserving Vienna's historical character and rich cultural heritage. 'Vienna's urban success story proves that with vision and strong governance, historical preservation and modern innovation can coexist. As president of the UN-Habitat Assembly, I look forward to sharing these insights with our 193 member states as well as bringing them home,' Nga said.
The Sun
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia leads UN-Habitat mission at Mayors Forum in Austria
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has embarked on its first international mission as president of the UN-Habitat Assembly (UNHA) by joining the 14th Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2025 in Vienna, Austria. The event, running from July 2 to July 4, highlights the country's commitment to sustainable urban development on the global stage. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming is leading the delegation in his role as UNHA president. The team includes Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif and KPKT technical advisor on Multilateral Affairs Dr Neil Khor Jin Keong. In a statement, Nga emphasised the significance of Malaysia's participation, noting its potential to enhance the nation's leadership in urban sustainability. 'As president of the UNHA, I am honoured to take part in this forum among mayors who are leading urban innovation on the ground. This is a vital opportunity to align global commitments with local action.' The minister added that insights and partnerships from the forum would benefit Malaysia's urban planning and housing strategies. During the summit, Nga will engage in bilateral discussions with key figures, including UNIDO director-general Gerd Müller, Vienna Mayor and Governor Michael Ludwig, and Metropolis secretary-general Jordi Vaquer. Topics will cover plan-led urban development, climate resilience, social inclusion, and progress toward SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Nga is also set to deliver a special address at Mayors Forum Session 1, further reinforcing Malaysia's role in shaping global urban policies.
