Regional UN forum to spotlight future of Asian and Pacific cities

The path to a sustainable future for Asia and the Pacific runs through its cities — economic, social and cultural centres for nearly 2.5 billion people and home to the world’s largest urban population and number of people living in informal settlements.

But the megatrend of urbanization across the Asia-Pacific region has not come without difficulties. Many of the multiple crises the world faces intersect in cities, creating new challenges and further exposing longstanding issues, such as inequality, urban poverty, affordable housing and an expanding infrastructure gap. Cities are where these interlinked crises are most visible, often affecting the most vulnerable communities.

Against this backdrop, the Eighth Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-8) will be held from 23 to 25 October 2023 in Suwon City, Republic of Korea. As the region’s premier multi-stakeholder forum, APUF-8 brings together the experiences of urban thought leaders, government officials and major stakeholder groups to reflect on the colliding crises faced by cities in Asia and the Pacific, synthesize innovative approaches and actions to support sustainable urban development in the context of the New Urban Agenda and the decade for action for the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Forum is organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Suwon City, in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea, and in cooperation with UN-Habitat, Habitat for Humanity International and CityNet as well as a range of supporting partner organizations.