The United Nations Secretariat is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN),The secretariat is the UN's executive arm. The secretariat has an important role in setting the agenda for the deliberative and decision-making bodies of the UN,and the implementation of the decision of these bodies. The secretary-general,who is appointed by the General Assembly,is the head of the secretariat.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1977 as an outcome of the first United Nations Conference on Human Settlements and Sustainable Urban Development held in Vancouver,Canada,in 1976. UN-Habitat maintains its headquarters at the United Nations Office at Nairobi,Kenya. It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group. The mandate of UN-Habitat derives from the Habitat Agenda,adopted by the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in Istanbul,Turkey,in 1996. The twin goals of the Habitat Agenda are adequate shelter for all and the development of sustainable human settlements in an urbanizing world.
An under-secretary-general of the United Nations (USG) is a senior official within the United Nations System,normally appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the secretary-general for a renewable term of four years. Under-secretary-general is the third highest rank in the United Nations,after the secretary-general and the deputy secretary-general. The rank is held by the heads of different UN entities,certain high officials of the United Nations Secretariat,and high-level envoys. The United Nations regards the rank as equal to that of a cabinet minister of a member state,and under-secretaries-general have diplomatic immunity under the UN Charter.
Achim Steiner is a Brazilian-born environmentalist who currently serves as the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and vice-chair of United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka is a Tanzanian politician and United Nations official. She was a Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Member of the National Assembly for Muleba South constituency during 2010 to 2020 and served as the Minister of Lands,Housing and Human Settlement Developments from 2010 to 2014.
The United Nations Office at Nairobi in Nairobi,the capital of Kenya,is one of four major United Nations office sites where numerous different UN agencies have a joint presence. Established in 1996,it is the UN's official headquarters in Africa.
Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura is a Sierra Leonean politician and social activist who has been serving as the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) since 2018,appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. She served as the second United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict with the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2012 to 2017,in succession to the first holder of the post,Margot Wallström. In 2017 she was succeeded by Pramila Patten.
María Emma Mejía Vélez is a Colombian politician,diplomat,and journalist. She was the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations in New York. She served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations,Minister of Foreign Affairs,Minister of Education,Ambassador of Colombia to Spain,and member of the Foreign Affairs Advisory Commission of Colombia. Mejía Vélez was also a peace negotiator with FARC and ELN armed groups. For over a decade,she held the post of Executive Director to the Barefoot Foundation,a non-profit founded by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira. Mejía Vélez also ran for vice-president and for mayor of Bogotá.
World Habitat Day is marked on the first Monday of October each year,and is recognized by the United Nations to reflect on the state of towns and cities,and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. The day is also intended to remind the world that everyone has the power and the responsibility to shape the future of towns and cities. World Habitat Day was first celebrated in 1986 in Nairobi,Kenya,and the theme chosen for that year was "Shelter is My Right".
Hanna Serwaa Tetteh is a Ghanaian barrister and politician. She served in the cabinet of Ghana as Minister for Trade and Industry from 2009 to 2013 and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2017. She was also the Member of Parliament for the Awutu-Senya West constituency. She currently serves as the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the world’s premier conference on urban issues. It was established in 2001 by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today:rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities,cities,economies,climate change and policies.
Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri is a former assistant secretary-general at the United Nations and the former deputy executive director of UN Women. Prior to her 15-year stint at the United Nations,she served as an Indian diplomat for 28 years. From 1999 until 2002,she was India's Ambassador to Hungary,while also concurrently accredited to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sahle-Work Zewde is an Ethiopian politician and diplomat who is the president of Ethiopia since 2018,being the first woman to hold the office. She was elected as president unanimously by members of the Federal Parliamentary Assembly on 25 October 2018.
Arcot Ramachandran (1923-2018) was an Indian scientist,anthropologist,author and a former Under-Secretary General of United Nations Centre for Human Settlements,known for his scholarship on the subjects of heat and mass transfer and environment and his social commitment to the cause of sustainable development. The Government of India honoured him in 2003,with the Padma Bhushan,the third highest civilian award,for his services to the fields of Science and Engineering.
The Alliance of Hope is a Malaysian political coalition consisting of centre-left political parties which was formed in 2015 to succeed the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. It has been part of a "Unity Government" since November 2022 together with other political coalitions and parties as a result of the 2022 Malaysian general election,and previously for 22 months after it had won the 2018 Malaysian general election until February 2020 when it lost power as a result of the 2020 Malaysian political crisis at the federal level. The coalition deposed the Barisan Nasional coalition government during the 2018 election,ending its 60-year-long reign since independence.
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate &Energy was established in 2016 by bringing formally together the Compact of Mayors and the European Union's Covenant of Mayors. It is a global coalition of city leaders addressing climate change by pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the future impacts of climate change. The Compact highlights cities' climate impact while measuring their relative risk levels and carbon pollution. The Compact of Mayors seeks to show the importance of city climate action,both at the local level and around the world. The Compact was launched in 2014 by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg,the UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. The Compact represents a common effort from global city networks C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40),ICLEI,and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG),as well as UN-Habitat,to unite against climate change. 428 global cities have committed to the Compact of Mayors. The collective member cities comprise over 376 million people and 5.19% of the global population.
The Mayor of Penang Island is the chief executive for the local government of George Town,the capital of the State of Penang. The Mayor's responsibilities include the management of the Penang Island City Council's annual budget,which amounted to RM606.53 million as of 2018.
Victor Kisob is the former Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme UN-HABITAT at the level of UN Assistant Secretary-General. He was appointed as Deputy Executive Director on 25 July 2018 by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
Sanda Ojiambo,is a Kenyan administrator who serves as the as assistant secretary-general of the United Nations Global Compact,effective April 2022. Before that,from 17 June 2020 until 22 April 2022,she served as executive director of the United Nations Global Compact,succeeding Lise Kingo of Denmark.
