Nairobi, Kenya – Somalia has assumed a significant global leadership role as the third session of the UN-Habitat Executive Board began in Nairobi on Thursday, with the nation joining for the first time as Co-Chair.
The Somali delegation is headed by the Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing, led by Somalia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, along with Dr. Abdirahman Hmuud Ahmed Aleel, Senior Advisor and Head of Projects at the ministry.
The two-day session convenes member states to evaluate UN-Habitat’s current operations and define priorities for international urban development. Attendees will examine the agency’s program delivery and financial health, and deliberate on aspects of the Strategic Plan for 2026–2029, which will direct its path for the next four years.
The board will also review recent UN General Assembly resolutions on human settlements and assess arrangements for the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), planned for Azerbaijan in mid-2026.
Somalia’s co-chair role underscores its rising participation in multilateral decision-making and its efforts to bolster housing, reconstruction, and sustainable urban development domestically while advancing global urban policies.
