The 7th Pacific Urban Forum (PUF7) was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 24 to 26 March 2026, hosted by the Government of Papua New Guinea and the National Capital District Commission (NCDC), with facilitation and support from the Pacific Urban Partnership and UN-Habitat.
Convened at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, PUF7 brought together 422 registered delegates, including online participants, from 20 countries and territories and 38 cities and towns. Participants included eight Pacific Ministers, national and local government representatives, regional agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, urban practitioners, and the private sector.
Building on the Suva Statement for a Sustainable Urban Pacific, adopted at PUF6 in 2023, PUF7 focused on advancing inclusive, climate-resilient and well-managed urban development across the Blue Pacific. Discussions addressed rapid urbanization and informality, land governance including customary tenure, housing and basic services, urban climate resilience, inclusive governance, data and planning capacity, local government empowerment, and access to urban and climate finance.
PUF7 marked an important milestone for the Pacific urban agenda, taking place two decades after urbanization was first formally recognised within the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s regional framework through the 2005 Pacific Plan. The Forum provided a platform to elevate urban priorities within national and regional policy discussions and to strengthen regional cooperation toward sustainable, inclusive, liveable and climate-resilient Pacific cities and towns.
PUF7 Summary Report
The PUF7 Summary Report provides an overview of the Forum proceedings, key messages and thematic discussions for advancing the Pacific urban agenda.
Across three days of plenaries and breakout sessions participants explored practical solutions to shared urban challenges across the Pacific. Core themes included climate-resilient urban development, settlement upgrading, housing, land governance, basic services, local government capacity, urban finance, climate finance, data systems, SDG localization, human rights, inclusive governance, and regional coordination.
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PUF7 Declaration
PUF7 culminated in the adoption of the Port Moresby Urban Action Agenda: Taking Forward the Suva Statement for a Sustainable Urban Pacific.
The Declaration sets out shared commitments to advance climate-resilient urban development, strengthen land governance and housing systems, improve access to inclusive housing and basic services, promote social inclusion and equity, empower local governments, mobilise sustainable and innovative financing, strengthen urban data and evidence systems, and deepen regional cooperation.
The Declaration further calls for strengthened regional cooperation, peer learning, and institutional support, including reinforcing the role of the Pacific Urban Forum as a regional platform and strengthening the Pacific Urban Partnership as an inclusive knowledge hub and collaborative network for urban stakeholders in the region.
For more information, please visit the website of the Pacific Urban Partnership and the links below:
Previous Pacific Urban Forums:
