This version represents the conclusions of the discussions held on Monday 22 May 2023
United Nations Habitat Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme
United Nations Habitat Assembly of the
United Nations Human Settlements Programme Second session
Nairobi, 5-9 June, 2023.
Draft resolution - international guidelines on people-centered smart cities
The United Nations Habitat Assembly,
Recognizing the profound and dynamic impact digitalization and smart cities are having on human
settlements and human lives; both in positive ways by providing new ways to support [evidencebased]{RUS reserve} sustainable urban development, [delivering urban services] {USA+}, providing job
opportunities, enhancing access to basic services and improving information sharing and collaboration
between various stakeholders including governments and urban residents; and in negative ways if not
managed well, by exacerbating existing inequalities [and accessibility barriers] {FRA+}, reducing
sustainability and compromising economic growth, as well as, [the right to privacy] {USA+ FRA-}{RUS
reserve} [the right to be free from arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy] {USA+ FRA-} [in the
digital age] {GHA+ FRA+} ,
Noting the definition of smart city by United for Smart Sustainable Cities, the UN smart city platform cochaired by UN-Habitat, ITU and UNECE and supported by 14 other UN agencies, as follows : “an
innovative city that uses ICTs and other means to improve quality of life, efficiency of urban operation and
services, and competitiveness, while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and future generations with
respect to [human rights and]{ARG+, EGY-}economic, social, environmental [as well as] {CHL+, FRA-
}, cultural aspects [among others] {CHL+, FRA-}”,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in particular paragraph 15 which recognizes that the “spread
of information and communications technology and global interconnectedness has great potential to
accelerate human progress, to bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies” ; further
recalling Sustainable Development Goal 11 to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient,
and sustainable, Ad ref 22 May 2023 12.26
Reaffirming [the] {USA+, FRA+} [t][T]argets {USA+, FRA+} [17.8 and] {NLD+} 17.6 [and 17.8]
{NLD+}{DZA+, USA+} [target] {USA+} of the Sustainable Development Goals in Agenda 2030 and [its]
{USA+} [their] {USA+} [will] {USA+, FRA+}[objectives] {USA+, FRA+} to “fully operationalize the
technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed
countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and
communications technology” and “enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and
international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge
sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms,
in particular at the United Nations level”; Further reaffirming the pledge set out in the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development that no one will be left behind,
Recalling General Assembly Resolution 71/256 of 23 December 2016 entitled “New Urban Agenda” and
reaffirming its commitment in paragraph 66 to [“] {FRA+} adopting a smart-city approach that makes use
of opportunities from digitalization, clean energy and technologies, as well as innovative transport
technologies[”] {FRA+} and its commitment in paragraph 156 to promoting [“] {FRA+} the development
of national information and communications technology policies and e-government strategies, as well as
citizen-centric digital governance tools, tapping into technological innovations, including capacity
development programmes, in order to make information and communications technologies accessible to
the public, [including] {GHA+ NLD-} [in particular] {GHA+ NLD-} women and girls, children and youth,
persons with disabilities, older persons and persons in vulnerable situations, to enable them to develop and
exercise [civic responsibility,]{ARG+} [their human rights]{ARG+, EGY-} broadening participation and
fostering responsible governance, as well as increasing efficiency[”] {FRA+}, [in line with its
acknowledgement in paragraph 19] {PSE+ BRA+ DZA+}
Recalling the General Assembly resolution 77/211 of 15 December 2022 [on] {USA+} [entitled] {USA+}
“ Tthe rright to privacy in the digital age”, which “calls upon [all] {USA+} States to respect [human
rights]{ARG+, EGY-, USA reserve} and[, in particular,}{ARG+} protect the right to privacy, both online
and offline, including in the context of digital communications and new and emerging technologies”, [“]
{FRA+} according to which no one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference of their privacy,
family, home or correspondence and the right to the protection of the law against such interference[”]
{FRA+}; which also calls on [all] {FRA+} States [“] {FRA+} to take measures on a national level to put
an end to violations of [the right to ] {USA+}privacy and to create the conditions to prevent such violations,
including by ensuring that relevant national legislation complies with [their obligations under]{ARG+}
international human rights law[”] and furthermore [“calls upon all] {FRA+} [recommends that] {FRA+}
States [to establish or] {FRA+} maintain [or establish] {FRA+} existing independent, effective, adequately
resourced and impartial judicial, administrative and/or parliamentary domestic oversight mechanisms
capable of ensuring transparency, as appropriate, and accountability for State surveillance of
communications, their interception and the collection of personal data,[“]{FRA+}] {RUS reserve}
Recalling the Human Rights Council Resolution [47/23] {RUS +, TZA+} {placeholder name of resolution
RUS} on new and emerging digital technologies and human rights, which recognizes the potential of digital
technologies to facilitate efforts to accelerate human progress, to promote and protect human rights and
[express]{USA+} fundamental freedoms, to bridge digital divides, to support rights of persons with
disabilities, [the advancement of] {USA+}[to advance] {USA+} gender equality and the empowerment of
all women and girls, and to ensure that no one is left behind in the achievement of the SDGs, {Placeholder
“ insertion of exact language of resolution}
[7.bis Noting the UN-Habitat flagship programme “People-Centered Smart Cities”, which seeks to make
urban digital transformation work for the benefits of all, driving sustainability, inclusivity, and prosperity
and the realization of human rights, including privacy, by empowering local communities, promoting
equitable access to technology, responsibly managing data and digital infrastructure, building trust by
securing digital assets, and building multi-stakeholder capacity, ] {USA+} {FRA suggest to move as last
preambular para}
Noting the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap on Digital Cooperation in which the Secretary-General sets
out a global agenda on internet connectivity, digital inclusion, digital capacity building, digital human
rights, artificial intelligence and digital trust and security, Ad Ref 22 May 2023 12.52
OPERATIVE CLAUSES
1. [Urges] {CMR+} [Requests] {CMR+} the Executive Director [to further support] {CMR+} [and]
{CMR+} Member States [in promoting] {CMR+} [to promote] {CMR+} a smart cities approach
which is people-centred [and follows a human rights approach] {IND+ CMR+ NGA+ RUS+ EGY+
ZAF+ TZA+ ARG- USA- CRI- NLD- FRA- BRA- DEU- FIN-} in order to achieve the SDGs and
the New Urban Agenda, which is based on the following principles:
a. [[Ensuring] {TZA+, RUS+} [Promoting]{TZA+, RUS+} the [equitable] {RUS+} involvement
[and values] {USA+} of people, [including marginalized communities] {RUS+, NGA reserve}
[, including the urban poor and other vulnerable groups,] {USA+, RUS-} and ensuring digital
and new technologies help [reduce] {USA+} [in reducing] {USA+} spatial [, economic, social]
{USA+, DEU+, EGY-} and digital inequalities[, overcome economic and social development
challenges]{EGY+} and [respecting]{ARG+, EGY-} [protecting]{ARG+, EGY-} human
rights for]{CRI+, CHL+, IND reserve, RUS reserve, EGY reserve} [respect human
rights]{USA+} [inclusive cities]{USA+},
b. Ensuring that [smart city approaches and]{FRA+} urban digital infrastructures contribute to
reducing the environmental impact of cities[[, building resilience]{PHL+} and [to ensure]
{ARG reserve, FRA Delete} that digitalization itself does not contribute to increased
[greenhouse gas emissions] {DEU+} emissions and the consumption of natural
resources,]{RUS reserve}
c. Building the appropriate capacity and skills for people-centered smart cities, including by
promoting digital literacy, education and training national and local [and regional ]{Chair+}
[governments/]{FRA+, CRI+, USA+, NGA-} [government] {DZA+} [and other
local]{Chair+} [authorities] {DZA+, NGA+, FRA-} officials and technical staff in digital
transformation, [digital accessibility]{FRA+}, data, smart city planning and digital public
participation, among others,
d. [Ensuring] {TZA+, NGA-, } [Facilitating] {TZA+, NGA+, SWE+, IDN+, NLD-, MAR-}
[Promoting]{MAR+} appropriate multi-level digital governance to guide the development of
people-centered smart cities, including data governance, management and use, system and data
[interoperability]{NGA+, IND+, IDN-, SWE-, FRA-, CRI-} [standards]{NGA+, IND+, IDN-
}, the ethical considerations of technologies such as artificial intelligence, the privacy and[
human]{ARG+, EGY-} rights of individuals and communities and appropriate collaboration
frameworks between governments, the private sector, academia and civil society,
Alt1. d Multilevel digital governance and appropriate collaboration frameworks between
governments, private sector, academia and civil society {CMR+}
e. Creating economic opportunities [, as well as vibrant and [competitive]{IDN delete} [an
enabling]{IDN+} environment] {DEU+} through innovation and smart technologies,
including to reduce [socio-economic inequalities]{EGY reserve} and fostering cities’
[shared] {USA+}prosperity ;
[Alt 1.e Economic opportunities creation through innovation and smart technologies.]
{CMR+, EGY+, RUS+}
f. [Centering smart city activities on people’s needs by maximising community participation,
representation, transparency and control,
g. Safeguarding public trust by putting cyber security measures in place that protect data and
infrastructure, including trusted, secure and resilient digital infrastructure,]{USA+}
]{CMR reserve OP1a to e, to adapt principles language}
2. [Encourages] {CMR+} [Requests] {CMR+} the Executive Director [and] {CMR+} [to support] {CMR+,
NGA+} Member States [and members of United Nations specialized agencies] {PSE+} [to] {CMR+} [in]
{CMR+} [promote] {CMR+} [promoting] {CMR+} people-centered smart city approaches, [notably
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