Implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 15 of General Assembly resolution 63/221. It describes the activities of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) over the past year in implementing the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and progress made in the institutional strengthening of the Programme. It also identifies achievements and challenges, and charts the way forward towards achieving sustainable urban development in an increasingly urbanizing world. The report provides an overview of the outcome of the twenty-second session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat and of the results of follow-up support to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. In addition to approving the work programme and budget of UN-Habitat for the biennium 2010-2011, the Council took stock of the progress made in the implementation of the medium-term strategic and institutional plan as the key means of strengthening the Programme. The Council adopted guidelines on access to basic services for all and called for follow-up to be closely coordinated with the implementation of the guidelines on decentralization and the strengthening of local authorities adopted at its twenty-first session.