UN-Habitat’s activities in urban transport are guided by the overall mandate of the organisation, particularly the transport-related provisions of the Habitat Agenda, the Declaration of Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium and more recently the Governing Council Resolution GC 22/8 on Guidelines on access to basic services for all as well as the MTSIP Focus Area 4. UN-Habitat advocates for policies and models to achieve sustainable urban transportation systems across the globe in the context of an overall mission to promote sustainable development of human settlements and the achievement of adequate shelter for all.

Transport and communication systems are the key to the movement of goods, people, information and ideas. They are also key to access to markets, employment, schools and other facilities and land use, both within cities and between cities, and in rural and other remote areas. The transportation sector is a major consumer of non-renewable energy and of land and is a major contributor to pollution, congestion and accidents. Integrated transport and land-use policy and planning can reduce the ill effects of current transport systems.

People living in poverty, women, children, youth, older persons and people with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged by the lack of accessible, affordable, safe and efficient public transport systems. From this perspective, Transport represents one of the many issues which could contribute to overcome difficulties and inertia that prevent developing countries from breaking the vicious circle of poverty.