12 March 2024, Nairobi, Kenya
Global CEO Alliance (GCEOA) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) strengthens their partnership to bring the SDG Cities Global Initiative to institutions around the world for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Habitat’s SDG Cities Global Initiative devised a four-track strategy to expedite the local adoption of the SDGs in urban areas. In recent years, GCEOA has collaborated closely with UN-Habitat to drive the attainment of SDGs through digital transformation solutions. GCEOA has led the creation of an advanced digital diagnostic tools platform to equip cities with the ability to evaluate their own capabilities.
In a significant step towards strengthening GCEOA’s partnership with UN-Habitat, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Amendment was signed on February 28, 2024 at the UN-Habitat headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Represented by GCEOA was Chairman and Founder, James Donovan, and UN-Habitat was represented by Raf Tuts, Director, Global Solutions Division. The MoU amendment provides further areas of collaboration between the organizations, to further mobilize the SDG Cities programme as it continues to grow and evolve.
GCEOA has been at the forefront of supporting the SDG Cities initiative to harness the power of technology and data to address complex urban challenges. Since the start of the partnership, GCEOA has played an important role in developing digital tools used for data collection and analysis. Notable contributions include the creation of the SDG Cities Website and the recently launched Capacity Assessment Toolkit in September 2023. This toolkit marks a significant milestone in empowering SDG Cities members to assess their own capacities effectively, thereby facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning processes.
One of the key highlights of the MoU Amendment is the commitment to further refine and expand the existing suite of digital tools developed by GCEOA for the benefit of cities. This includes the development of advanced data analytics capabilities, enhanced visualization tools, and tailored solutions to address specific urban challenges faced by SDG Cities members.
Furthermore, GCEOA has also paved the way for more opportunities on capacity development for the SDG Cities initiative through collaborations with CIFAL Lebanon. The training arm, which is hosted by GCEOA, will complement the comprehensive capacity development package offered by SDG Cities. Together, the organizations aim to strengthen cities with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to sustainable development goals.
Looking ahead, the signing of the MoU Amendment marks a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between GCEOA and SDG Cities Global Initiative. As they continue to work hand in hand towards the common goal of building more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities, their combined efforts are poised to leave a lasting impact on urban development efforts around the globe.
To know more about UN-Habitat’s SDG Cities initiative, visit sdg-cities.org
To know more about GCEOA, visit globalceoalliance.org