Solomon Greene, an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was chosen to lead the U.S. delegation to an international meeting to address urban planning.

Greene, HUD's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) for Policy Development and Research, was selected to lead a coalition of U.S. officials to Nairobi, Kenya, for the United Nations Habitat Assembly June 5 through June 9, HUD reported on June 2.  The U.S. delegation included "officials from the U.S. Department of State; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); representatives of regional government; academics; business people; community leaders; and urban planners," according to the news release.

At the meeting, participants worked to "identify opportunities to achieve a sustainable urban future through inclusive and effective multilateralism and highlight local actions that can drive progress towards achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," the release reports. 

The U.S. partnered with the University of Chicago to mediate a panel of experts to discuss innovative ideas, best practices and new tools to achieve the U.N.'s goals. The panel was expected to look at HUD's Choice Neighborhoods program, which features community-driven planning and urban regeneration models, and the UN-Habitat Urban Regeneration Flagship Programme, according to the release.

The summit was also designed to promote local initiatives that could accelerate progress toward establishing a sustainable urban future through inclusive and effective multilateralism. 

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is "mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities," the release states. UN-Habitat and its partners work to create cities and communities that are safe, sustainable, resilient and inclusive, according to the release, and "promotes urbanization as a positive, transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty."

The UN-Habitat Assembly includes the 193 member states of the United Nations that meets every four years, the release reports.

“I am honored to lead the U.S. delegation to the 2023 UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi to help reaffirm the United States’ leadership in promoting good governance and comprehensive approaches to housing and urban development issues,” Greene said in the news release. “It is my hope that, together with our global partners, we can forge agreements that advance prosperity, growth, and equal opportunity.”