The history of cooperation of the Russian Federation with the United Nations system structures dealing with the subjects of housing policy and sustainable city development, originates in the epoch of Soviet Union when our country played an appreciable role in this global international organization and was making sizable contribution to formation of its budget.

According to the governmental order of the Russian Federation from June 3rd, 2003 No. 323 «On affirmation of the interdepartmental distribution of duties on maintenance of the participation of Russia in the international organizations of the United Nations system » the parent organization for matters of cooperation of the Russian organizations with UN-Habitat till 2004 was the State committee of the Russian Federation on construction, housing and communal services (Gosstroy of Russia).

Now the Ministry of regional development of the Russian Federation together with the Federal agency on construction and housing and communal services (Rosstroy) are responsible for the cooperation with UN-Habitat.

Major principles of the cooperation having for an object sustainable development of human settlements, contribution to realization of the Habitat Agenda and achievement of the corresponding goals in the field of development, formulated in the Declaration on cities and other human settlements in a new millennium, are established by the Cooperation agreement, concluded by the Parties on April, 11th, 2006. The agreement provides joint work in following areas:

- Sustainable planning and management of development of cities;

- Responsible and accountable urban governance in compliance with the UN-Habitat Global campaign on urban governance;

- Protection of citizens’ housing rights in compliance with the UN-Habitat Global campaign for secure tenure;

- Strengthening of local authorities through capacity building and effective decentralization;

- Sustainable housing sector and urban development financing;

- Public-private partnership for urban infrastructure development and management;

- Sustainable development of Arctic region cities;

- Monitoring of urban condition and trends through a network of urban observatories;

- Publication on a biennial basis of the State of the Russian Cities Report and the Russian version of the quarterly "Habitat Debate”.

The Parties will work on the basis of Biennial programs jointly prepared in a process of consultation and reflecting mutually agreed priorities for every biennium period corresponding to UN-Habitat biennial programming periods Local institutions can join the Biennial Cooperation Programmes if their projects are in line with the present Agreement and under condition that they are ready to provide funding for the related projects. The Ministry for regional development of the Russian Federation entrusts its functions to prepare and supervise the Biennial Cooperation Programmes in the territories of the Russian Federation and other joint activities to the Federal Agency for Construction, Housing and Utilities (Rosstroy).

To implement the Biennial Cooperation Programmes and other joint projects UN-Habitat and Rosstroy shall select a Programme Implementation Unit (PIU). Selection is carried out on a competitive basis according to the Regulations for selectinf a Programme Implementation Unit for UN-Habitat Programmes on the territory of the Russian Federation that are an integral part of the Cooperation agreement between the Parties.

Terms of References for the PIU is regulated by the corresponding Annex to the Agreement also being its integral part. At present the PIU functions are carried out by Joint-Stock Company “Consulting and Development Agency "CONUS". With a purpose of creating of favorable conditions for realization of UN-Habitat Programmes on the territory of the Russian Federation on territory of our country Russian Federation has undertaken to provide an annual financial contribution to UN-Habitat.

The payment is transferred into account the United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation established pursuant to resolution 3327 of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and with minus of a part of the means left by UN-Habitat to cover its operational charges, goes on financing of projects in Russia.

Practical implementation of projects within the framework of the Biennial Cooperation Programmes and other joint activities the PIU carries out on a competitive basis in compliance with the Rules and Procedures of UN-Habitat by selection of corresponding executing organizations. Results of competitive selection are coordinated with UN-Habitat and Rosstroy. UN-Habitat concludes contracts with the selected executors. Financing of contracts is carried out from annual financial contributions of the Russian Federation to UN-Habitat, own financial assets of executing organizations and by attraction of external investors and donors.