In the context of the 13th World Urban Forum at Baku on 20 May 2026, Habitat International Coaition (HIC) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a non-binding framework for cooperation to advance adequate housing, land tenure, and basic services for all through a rights-based and participatory approach. The parties commit to working in a spirit of trust, close consultation, and mutual respect to strengthen grassroots and civil society participation in urban policy and governance, support research, knowledge sharing, training, and capacity building, and monitor implementation of the New Urban Agenda, SDG 11, and related housing and land rights commitments.
The MoU emphasizes collaboration on issues such as informal settlement transformation; prevention and remedy of forced evictions; social production of habitat; the social function of housing, land and the city; housing justice; gender and climate considerations; and comparative policy research. The parties will do these things while also providing for regular information sharing, joint review of progress, protection of confidential information and personal data, and respect for each party’s legal status, intellectual property, and independent procedures.
Common principles
- Cooperation and partnership: The parties agree to work in a spirit of trust, close collaboration, and ongoing consultation.
- Shared human-rights focus: Their cooperation is grounded in advancing the right to adequate housing, land, and basic services, with attention to the human-rights dimension of the New Urban Agenda and localized SDG implementation.
- Inclusive participation: A major principle is meaningful engagement of grassroots groups, social movements, and civil society in policymaking and governance processes.
- Alignment with global frameworks: The partnership is tied to the SDGs, New Urban Agenda, Agenda 2030/post-2030 discussions, Habitat IV, and UN-Habitat’s strategic planning.
- Non-financial nature of the MoU: The MoU itself does not create funding obligations; any transfer of funds, goods, or services must be handled through separate written agreements.
- Mutual respect and protection of interests: Each party must avoid actions that harm the other party’s interests and must act consistently with their own rules and procedures.
- Transparency, monitoring, and information-sharing: The parties commit to keeping each other informed, sharing relevant documents and findings, and reviewing progress regularly.
- Confidentiality, data protection, and IP respect: Confidential information, personal data, and intellectual property must be protected under each party’s applicable rules.
- Non-binding legal relationship: The MoU does not create a partnership, joint venture, employment relationship, or legally enforceable obligations.
Common actions are specified as:
- Mobilizing stakeholders and supporting participation in urban policy and governance spaces.
- Conducting joint research, knowledge management, training, and capacity building on agreed issues.
- Monitoring and evaluating implementation of the New Urban Agenda, SDG 11, and related housing and land rights issues.
- Collaborating on advocacy and policy development, especially around adequate housing, land tenure, and basic services.
- Supporting grassroots and civil society involvement in forums such as UN-Habitat Assembly, stakeholder forums, and Habitat-related processes.
- Developing tools, methodologies, and comparative evidence on housing, land, informal settlements, forced evictions, and displacement.
- Sharing research, reports, and findings to support joint learning and program improvement.
- Holding regular consultations and, where appropriate, joint missions to track progress and coordinate implementation.
- Identifying new opportunities for cooperation as the partnership evolves.
Main thematic areas of joint action are:
This HIC-UN Habitat MoU, signed in the organizations common 50th-anniversary year, will run for a three-year period from the date of signature.
Photo on front page: HIC President Grace Chikumo-Mtonga and UN Habitat Executive Director Anaclaúdia Rossbach signing the MoU in Baku. Source: HIC. Photo on this page: (L to R) HIC-HLRN Coordinator Joseph Schechla, HIC-Latin America Coordinator Silvia Emmanuelli, HIC Latin American Board Member Facundo Di Filippio, HIC President Grace Cikumo-Mtonga, UN Habitat Executive Director Anaclaúdia Rossbach, HIC Vice-President Guillermo Marzioni. Source: HIC.
