At this time of uncertainty and deteriorating international environment 

AMMAN - The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization (CSU) Board was held on May, in New York. The meeting was attended by well-known architects and urban planners, UN officials and policy makers serving as members of the CSU Board. 

As a founding father of the CSU and Chairman of its Board, Dr.  Abu Ghazaleh inaugurated the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Abu Ghazaleh praised the CSU leadership and members of the Board for their outstanding work and dedication in leading the CSU with great success even though the external environment has become more uncertain and less conducive to promoting international cooperation to achieve common goals.

He pointed out that CSU was a shining example and a good template of how to mobilize the vibrant energy of civil society removed from the political debates of the day to carry on the essential work that needs to be done to support and sustain the shared goal of building a better future for the entire human family. "CSU is now needed more than ever before", Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh affirmed.

He also noted with satisfaction that in the years since its creation in 2009, CSU has grown into a highly active and creative global professional network with a wide range of activities, using digital and other means, successfully engaging the global community of urban practitioners and policy-makers to promote, in close cooperation with the United Nations, sustainable  and resilient urban development around the world in support of UN Sustainable Development Goal 11.

He lauded the rich exchanges of information, experiences and ideas generated by its digital seminars on green cities, UN based conferences and events, scholarships and exchange programs which have attracted the attention and respect of all those who want to see our rapidly urbanizing planet move to a more sustainable path.

Dr. Abu Ghazaleh urged all to continue to move forward towards peaceful cooperation and stability saying there is no better way of doing so than by collaborating in thoughtful and constructive endeavors.

He expressed his confidence that CSU will continue to expand its reach and to provide a powerful platform for discussing ideas and initiatives for sustainable urban development in all parts of the world.

Members of the Board unanimously thanked Dr. Abu Ghazaleh for his visionary leadership and for his thoughtful guidance to the CSU and recommitted themselves to help make his vision and ideas a living reality.