The Secretary-General met yesterday with Mr. Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal, Canada.

The Secretary-General commended Mr. Coderre’s initiative in establishing a Pan-American Network of Metropolitan Regions, noting this could contribute greatly towards promoting sustainable development in urban areas.

He spotlighted the constructive role that local governments can play in the debate on the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Secretary-General also expressed his appreciation for the Mayor’s support of the collaboration between the University of Montreal and UN-HABITAT to strengthen the capacities of francophone African countries in the area of sustainable urbanization.