Members of the Board of Directors of the GPH in Nairobi © C. Tsuma

From 15 to 19 April 2013 the 24th Governing Council of UN-Habitat
was held in Nairobi, Kenya. The President of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat (GPH) Peter Götz participated in this important meeting at the invitation of Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.

Peter Götz welcomed the discussion on this year's theme "Sustainable urban development: the role of cities in creating economic opportunities for all, with special emphasis on youth and gender".

Götz: "Cities and economic progress have always been closely linked. Around the world, cities generate a substantial portion of the gross domestic product. But it is not sufficient to generate economic growth. Growth must benefit all citizens alike, for example by allowing them to earn their livelihood. In addition to fighting poverty, economic growth should also not consume our natural resources completely."

At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat chaired by Peter Götz, the board members reported on their progress and on activities in their countries and regions. In addition, decisions on the upcoming events of the GPH were made.

Amongst other things, a parliamentary meeting is planned in Arusha, Tanzania, together with the celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the GPH for the region of Africa. The next European Conference of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat will take place from 12 to 15 October 2013 in Split, Croatia, together with the 25th anniversary celebration for the region of Europe.