Habitat III Conference

“Strong” new building codes are one of the ways that Ecuador is aiming to “build back better”, six months on from an earthquake which killed more than 650 people.

That’s according to Diego Zorilla, the UN Development Programme’s Resident Coordinator in the South American country, which is working with the government to promote new building standards.

More than 1,000 buildings were destroyed by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which struck on 16 April, affecting several coastal provinces in the north.

The process of urbanization has “huge potential and also huge risks” according to the senior UN official leading the biggest conference on world cities in 20 years.

“Habitat III”, as it’s known, begins this weekend in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, and thousands will be attending from around the globe, to adopt The New Urban Agenda.

It sets new global standards for the sustainable growth of cities and towns.