Implementing the New Urban Agenda through establishment of the Spatial Planning Platform

Government representatives, spatial planners and other stakeholders are invited to discuss roles and functions of the Spatial Planning Platform (SPP). The SPP will be a key implementation tool of the New Urban Agenda, complemented by international cooperation as well as capacity development efforts. The programme of the event will be composed of speeches and presentations by high level officials who express commitment and support to promote the SPP. The event will also aim to disseminate the concept of the SPP to invite more commitment and support. Taking advantage of the networking event of HABITAT III, the Government of Japan (GOJ) proposed to establish the platform to implement international initiatives with a view to sharing systematic knowledge and experience on the formulation and promotion of the spatial plan. This proposal was well received by many countries. Building on this support, The GOJ is now in a position to swiftly establish the SPP by contacting and networking spatial planners. The first SPP conference is scheduled to be held in Japan next August. The purposes of the SPP are (1) Networking national spatial planners, (2) Sharing experience and knowledge on design and implementation of national spatial plans, (3) Peer to peer learning main planning issues we are tackling and (4) Help each other to formulate a new national spatial plan. Accordingly, the establishment of the SPP can greatly contribute to strengthening an enabling policy frame-work at the national, sub-national and local levels, integrated by participatory planning and management of urban and territorial spatial development. As countries now embark on implementation, there will be a need to develop new capacity and specialized skills in order to successfully undertake the formulation of national spatial plans. The establishment of a SPP will improve such critical situation and consequently implement the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs.