Pacific Urban Forum - Harnessing Opportunities in a Post-2015 Environment

Background and Objectives

Background

The fourth Pacific Urban Forum (PUF) was held in Nadi, Fiji on 23-27 March, 2015. The PUF brings together Pacific Island nations, local governments, development partners, NGOs and other practitioners to discuss the region's urban challenges and identify sustainable solutions to these issues. In 2007, and again in 2011, the PUF reviewed and endorsed the Pacific Urban Agenda (PUA) as a regional framework to guide urban decision making. Over the last decade, Pacific Island governments and partners have initiated a variety of legislative reforms, policy developments and local strategies that promote more equitable urban management approaches and the inclusion of urban environmental issues in development frameworks.

The fourth PUF advanced practical solutions, innovative financing and visionary planning to better meet the present challenges and future needs of a rapidly urbanizing region.

Objectives

The Pacific Urban Forum is organised to:

• ・Catalyse the engagement of national and local authorities, urban stakeholders and development partners for replication of identified solutions for improved urban management and access to affordable housing and urban basic services;
• ・Encourage the strengthening of established networks for best practices peer exchange such as through the Pacific Capital Cities Forum, Climate Change platforms, research institutes and academia;
• ・Inspire change and build on positive (country) approaches and attitudes to urbanization through the identification of actionable steps to incorporate the Urban Agenda into national development plans (and resource mobilization);
• ・Secure Pacific SIDS support and commitment to shared goals and actions for the SDG on Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements and an articulated roadmap to strengthened presence and contribution at Habitat III; and
• ・Explore cooperation opportunities and links to regional and global processes and development objectives to foster an enabling environment in the Pacific region.