The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena, stated that cities and housing provide an opportunity to transform the region’s development model while also strengthening democracy, safeguarding human rights and maintaining peace, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, during today’s inauguration of the IV Latin American and Caribbean Housing and Habitat Forum, which is taking place virtually through Friday, May 21.
The senior United Nations official was one of the main speakers at the event’s opening session, along with Carlos Alvarado, President of Costa Rica; Jonathan Reckford, Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity International; and Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.