BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. Local and regional authorities stand on the absolute front lines of global efforts to elevate the human quality of life, championing the core sustainable principle that no person and no place should be left behind, Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia and the sitting President of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Assembly, said, Trend reports.
He made the remark during the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
According to the minister, localized governance is the critical layer of leadership needed to navigate the compounding crises facing modern metropolitan areas.
"Whether it is mitigating the housing crisis, adapting to climate change, overcoming cost-of-living pressures, or mitigating geopolitical risks to ensure energy security—in all of these matters, we rely on you, the leaders of local and regional governments, as the primary driving force behind tangible solutions," Nga Kor Ming stated.
The UN-Habitat Assembly President urged delegates to position housing as an absolute priority within broader regional, spatial, and social development strategies. "As I always say: a house is built of bricks and beams, but a true home is created by hopes and dreams," he noted.
Nga Kor Ming emphasized that to deliver real, measurable results on the ground, municipal leaders must aggressively build cross-sector partnerships and fully utilize their existing localized tools—including strategic land resources, municipal urban planning, and direct mayoral authorities.
