INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR HABITAT II, SECOND COMMITTEE TOLD
Press Release
GA/EF/2706
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR HABITAT II, SECOND COMMITTEE TOLD
19951115 Calls for international support for the 1996 Istanbul United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and assistance to developing countries were heard this morning as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) began discussing preparations for the Conference as well as issues on human settlements.The representative of the Philippines, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said international support should be provided to developing countries to implement programmes that would ensure access to adequate shelter for all by the year 2010. She said foreign ministers of the member States of the Group and of China had expressed the hope that the deliberations and decisions of Habitat II would lead to greater attention to the problems of human settlements as well as increased international cooperation in that field.
The representative of Spain, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the improving of human settlements and shelter conditions were of the utmost importance for combating urban poverty, unemployment, violence and social disintegration, and protection of the environment. The European Union looked forward to the adoption by consensus in Istanbul of a statement of principles and commitments and a global plan of action which promoted sustainable development through popular participation.
The representative of Turkey said preparations for Habitat II were under way and that a broad-based national committee was functioning with 140 representatives. The Conference would be held in the "Conference Valley" which was centrally located and within walking distance of most major hotels. The non-governmental organization forum would be held about 400 metres from the main Conference venue. An international trade fair was being organized to showcase low-cost and environmentally-sound products in the fields of housing and construction. Fifteen per cent of the exhibition space had been allocated to the Conference secretariat to be made available without charge to firms from the least developed countries.
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Also making statements in the debate were the representatives of China, Egypt, Marshall Islands, India, Ecuador, Japan, Kenya, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Poland, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, United States and Kazakstan.
The Assistant Secretary-General and Secretary-General of Habitat II, Wally N'Dow, made an introductory statement.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its discussion of the preparations for Habitat II and of human settlements in general.
Committee Work Programme
The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to begin consideration of human settlements, including preparations for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) (Istanbul, 1996).
The Committee had before it a number of documents covering the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Human Settlements Conference, the work of the fifteenth session of the Commission on Human Settlements and implementation of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000. (For information, see Press Release GA/EF/2705 of 14 November).
Statements
WALLY N'DOW, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements and Secretary-General for Habitat II, introducing the reports, said the preparatory process for the Conference was moving forward with 134 countries engaged in national preparatory activities and in initiatives involving all sectors of society.
He said more than 100 countries had submitted reports on original and innovative projects and programmes that they had initiated in more than 280 cities, communities and neighbourhoods under the "Best Practices" initiative for improving the living environment. The initiative was a key component of the preparatory work for the Conference.
He announced that the Municipality of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates would sponsor an international conference on the "Best Practices" initiative next week, from 19 to 22 November. In addition to the Dubai conference, a series of more than 100 workshops -- some already held -- would provide valuable input to the global preparatory process and the programmes of Habitat II. They covered a range of issues from new technical solutions for urban transport and water supply to ways and means of reducing urban crime and violence.
On regional preparations for Habitat II, he said African ministers responsible for housing and human settlements had recently held a conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, and a declaration unanimously adopted testified to the importance the ministers attached to attaining the goals of Habitat II. Another regional meeting was being held in Santiago next week for the Latin American and Caribbean region. Additional regional meetings already planned included a ministerial conference organized by the Government of Germany, European Commission and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on the sustainable future of cities, especially in the industrialized countries of the European Union. A similar ministerial conference had already been held in Budapest for countries with economies in transition.
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He said the preparation of the Conference's plan of action was well advanced and that at the invitation of the Government of France, an informal inter-sessional drafting group, including representatives of governments and non-governmental organizations from all regions, had recently met in Paris. Considerable progress had been made in drafting a text that he was confident would win wide support.
On the question of financing, he said some significant contributions had been received since the second session of the Preparatory Committee in May, but funds were still urgently needed to cover core activities of the secretariat for the remaining eight months, as the preparatory process entered its critical and final phase.
He said Habitat II would be a conference of partnerships -- from local authorities to national leaders, and of people from every walk of life. He appealed for leadership and help to ensure the success of the Conference.
CECILIA BALTAZAR REBONG (Philippines), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said implementation of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000 had suffered due to inadequacy of financial and other support and technical capacity. International support for the Strategy was crucial, particularly the provisions which would enhance the capacity of governments as facilitators in the shelter sector. International support should be provided to developing countries to implement sustainable and enabling programmes to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation to all by the year 2000 and adequate shelter for all by the year 2010.
She said the foreign affairs ministers of the member States of the Group of 77 and of China had expressed their full support for Habitat II and its preparatory process. They recognized that the two themes of the Conference were crucial for the implementation of the Global Strategy. The ministers had expressed the hope that the deliberations and decisions of Habitat II would lead to greater attention to the problems of human settlements as well as increased international cooperation in that field.
ANA MARIA MENENDEZ (Spain), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said in the year 2000, more than 50 per cent of the world's population would be living in cities; 60 per cent of the world's gross national product (GNP) would be generated there. Therefore, the goals of Habitat II were extremely relevant and were linked with poverty eradication, one of the themes common to all recent major international conferences. The improvement of human settlements and shelter conditions were of the utmost importance for combating urban poverty, unemployment, violence and social disintegration, and protection of the environment.
She said the European Union looked forward to the adoption by consensus in Istanbul of a statement of principles and commitments and a global plan of
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action which promoted sustainable development through popular participation. The Union would continue to actively participate in and contribute to the preparatory process. The involvement of the civil society, including non- governmental organizations and local authorities, in the preparatory process and the Conference was fundamental. The expert meeting on the issue of "the right to housing" should be organized as soon as possible. The outcome of Habitat II should be considered in the framework of a coordinated and integrated implementation of the results of all recent major conferences.
HUSEYIN CELEM (Turkey) said the world was witnessing many events which pointed to the urgency of the problems to be tackled by Habitat II. Last week, torrential rain and floods caused loss of life in two big Turkish cities due to poorly built settlements, which were a direct result of rapid, uncontrolled urban migration. The problems to be covered by Habitat II were not confined to developing countries. All nations faced similar problems of urbanization caused by explosive population growth. At the end of the century, half of the planet's dwellers would live in cities.
He said Habitat II was the last major global conference of this century and it carried on the goals of the 1992 Earth Summit and its Agenda 21. The success of the Istanbul Conference was closely related to the global plan of action. New targets should be translated into commitments and action by all parties concerned. It was a pleasure and challenge for Turkey to host the Conference and Istanbul was a good choice for the venue. With a population growth rate of over 5 per cent, it was one of the world's mega-cities and had been a target of mass migration from rural areas; thus, it would serve as a laboratory for bringing solutions to settlement problems.
Preparations for Habitat II were under way, he continued, and a broad- based national committee was functioning with 140 representatives. A successful regional preparatory meeting took place in Ankara from 26 to 28 October. At the end of September, a workshop was held to discuss details of the non-governmental organization forum. The Conference would be held in the "Conference Valley", which was centrally located and within walking distance of most major hotels. The non-governmental organization forum would be held about 400 metres from the main Conference venue. An international trade fair was being organized to showcase low-cost and environmentally-sound products in the fields of housing and construction. Of the exhibition space, 15 per cent was allocated to the Habitat secretariat to be made available without charge to firms from the least developed countries.
WANG XUEXIAN (China) said the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements should play a greater role and intensify its cooperation and coordination with other relevant organs to promote international cooperation in the field of human settlements. The Centre should also strengthen capacity-building in developing countries to contribute to the attainment of the goals set forth in the Global Strategy for Shelter. The draft texts of
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the final declaration of Habitat II should clearly identify the responsibilities and obligations of States, especially developed countries. He hoped the documents would also be pragmatic and capable of genuinely contributing to global human settlements. China had established a national preparatory committee which had sent out information to arouse the interest of people about Habitat II. It had been working on China's national report and programme of action.
He said China had adopted an overall strategy for the sustainable development of human settlements, covering such measures as strict control over the size of major cities, rational development of medium- and small-size cities, active development of small towns in rural areas, and further improvement of living conditions in villages. China, however, still faced immense challenges and difficulties and would continue to make unremitting efforts to improve its urban environment, control the overgrowth of urban population, improve the conditions for human settlements and increase employment opportunities.
ABDEL-GAFFAR ELDEEB (Egypt) said the issues to be tackled by Habitat II were linked to those of other recent international conferences that focused on the human being as the centre of development. The outcomes of recent major conferences were interlinked by a framework for sustainable development and environmental protection. The achievement of these objectives could not be realized unless there were conducive conditions for economic development, including social justice. This was an important question to be tackled by Habitat II. Healthy housing was needed as well as safe drinking water and sanitation, and safe transportation systems. There should also be facilities for caring for children.
He said sustainable transport systems were the backbone of human settlements. The international community should work toward the development of transport sectors while providing the necessary resources. Egypt supported the tackling of urban problems while focusing on the link with population questions and environment. A global plan of action should address international and regional cooperation. The success of the development of human settlements largely depended on the role to be played by the major partners in implementing the plan of action. Egypt hoped sufficient attention would be given to the population of poor developing countries, particularly those in Africa, and that agreement would be translated into action. Attention should also be paid to the social integration of youth. Egypt supported the preparatory process and was also working on a national level to solve settlement problems.
ESPEN RONNEBERG (Marshall Islands) said the country faced tremendous problems in areas which were contaminated by nuclear testing in the 1940s and 1950s. The environment of those areas should be restored to internationally acceptable standards for human habitation, taking into account the principle
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of polluter pays. There was also need for better information, particularly in respect to monitoring irradiated areas and to disseminating information on radiation levels present in the environment. He called for better understanding of the effects of radiation on human beings, adding that there should be support for further research into human absorption of radiation from the environment and the adverse health implications of radiation exposure on human beings.
His delegation, in pursuing those concerns, would attempt to stick closely to internationally accepted texts and hoped that the international community would be able to support such proposals, he said. Recognition should be given to the need for international involvement in restoring irradiated areas to become environmentally safe habitats for humans.
HASHIM ABDUL HALIM (India) said ensuring the right to adequate housing and working to improve the conditions and management of human settlements should be an integral part of international efforts to provide a higher quality of life for all. The right to adequate housing was a basic human right. At least 1 billion people did not have access to adequate shelter and sanitation. Efforts to improve settlements would have to tackle both urban and rural areas. The overall strategy should include measures for sustainable land use planning, environmental infrastructure, human resources development and capacity-building.
He said India had contributed $100,000 to the trust fund to facilitate the preparatory process of Habitat II, in addition to its annual contribution to the Centre for Human Settlements. A national report was being finalized and 16 case studies had been presented to the Habitat II secretariat. India would also participate in the Conference trade fair, and the conference of South Asian ministers for housing and urban development to be held in Sri Lanka later this year. Enhanced international cooperation and support was needed to supplement developing countries' efforts to meet the challenge of human settlements.
MARJORIE ULLOA (Ecuador), speaking on behalf of the Rio Group of countries, said the recent meeting of the Preparatory Committee in Kenya had reflected the international community's high interest in human settlement problems and the need to improve the environment of areas where the poor lived. The draft declaration and world plan of action to be adopted by Habitat II had been discussed at the Nairobi meeting.
She said central and local governments, community organizations, civic leaders, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations should together seek ways to resolve problems of human settlements. Decisions and recommendations of recent major international conferences had all contained references to the importance of the need for adequate shelter. Efforts must be made to ensure follow-up action on those decisions. Adequate financial and
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technical resources should be available for the provision of adequate housing for all.
KINJI SHINODA (Japan) said plans of action developed since the adoption of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000 had promoted efforts at the country, regional and global levels. Japan appreciated the contributions of Habitat and for this reason had contributed $800,000 to the Centre every year for the last four years. Other organs within the United Nations system had significant responsibilities with respect to human settlements issues. Coordination between Habitat and those organs was essential.
The challenge of ensuring viable human settlements was increased in recent years due to the explosive increase in population and the rapid urbanization of developing countries, he said. The United Nations had demonstrated great foresight when it decided to hold Habitat II in 1996. The issue of human settlements was closely interrelated with issues dealt with by other United Nations development-related conferences. Habitat II should avoid repeating the discussions that had already taken place on those subjects. The declaration to be adopted by the Conference should focus on human settlement issues.
Also Habitat II should be a starting point in the international community's journey into the next century, and not the end of its efforts, he said. Its decisions must be followed up with concrete and effective action. It was essential to ensure effective coordination among relevant multilateral financial institutions and United Nations bodies in following up the results of that and other United Nations conferences.
JONATHAN NG'ENO (Kenya) said fresh commitments would be needed to provide new and additional resources to supplement national efforts for the implementation of the Conference global plan of action. The creation of favourable economic environment through fair terms of trade, debt reduction, relief or cancellation would also be an essential factor as alluded to in the Johannesburg declaration adopted last month by African Ministers responsible for human settlements.
He said one of the major strategies embodied in the draft global plan of action was the "enabling approach" to human settlements development. That approach urged governments to facilitate partnerships for shelter development. Kenya believed that most African countries were not in a position to mobilize local resources required to achieve adequate shelter and sustainable human settlements from pure market approach. There was need to provide safety nets and direct public intervention to cater for the needs of the poor, low income and other disadvantaged groups.
Kenya had undertaken several preparatory activities for the Conference, including the establishment of a broad-based national steering committee.
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MAHBUB KABIR (Bangladesh) noted that an outcome of a natural disaster was migration of population to big urban areas, further complicating an already overwhelmed urban support service. Government institutions in his country had been strengthened for implementing replicable and sustainable urban development policies and strategies. In a cooperative arrangement with non-governmental organizations, testing and demonstration was proceeding on housing-related credit-delivery systems capable of replication as well as methods of improving supply, delivery and durability of building materials appropriate for the rural poor in flood and cyclone-prone areas. The programme supported financing and construction of 13,500 houses.
With reference to improving legal frameworks, as called for in the Global Strategy, he noted that adequate legal provisions for shelter already existed. The Constitution of Bangladesh provided for the State's fundamental responsibility to secure for its citizens the basic necessities of life, including shelter. He looked forward to Habitat II where the wisdom gained over the last 20 years would crystallize into a strategy and plan of action better suited to face the challenge of the present.
AMIN DADA (Pakistan) said there was need for international cooperation in human settlements. His country was taking a number of steps to enable different sectors to play a role in the provision of shelter and services. Those steps included a study to identify the parameters of the housing problems and the launching of a national action programme with a 10-year time- frame to meet the housing shortage. Other measures included facilitation of private sector involvement and plans to develop a secondary mortgage market, as well as assisting low income segments of the population to obtain housing. A revolving housing fund was being set up to initiate inexpensive housing projects.
OLEG RUDENSKIY (Russian Federation) said the problem of human settlement had taken global dimensions, and it had worsened in megalopolises. The development of human settlement in the twenty-first century would be affected by the world economy, including in the area of information and technology. That situation must be taken into account when addressing human settlement problems. There was a need for the Centre to establish a working relationship with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and bodies dealing with natural resources and energy. It was important to address safety problems when dealing with human settlement issues. The Centre, as already stated in previous resolutions, should provide assistance to countries in transition.
The work of the Preparatory Committee so far had not reflected the problems of the countries in transition, he said. He expressed the hope that the situation would be corrected in the forthcoming session of the Preparatory Committee. Goodwill from Member States would be required during that session, particularly in discussing financing, international cooperation and the global plan of action. His country would do its utmost in that regard.
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ANNA RADUCHOWSKA-BROCHWICZ (Poland) said countries with economies in transition in Europe faced complex problems and deserved special attention and cooperation, particularly with respect to capacity-building in the area of shelter and human settlements. In preparing for Habitat II, more emphasis should be placed on the need to build social infrastructure in urban and rural settlements. Poland believed that more attention should be given to the question of rehabilitation of areas affected by recent armed conflicts and local wars. Particular attention should be given to the provision of shelter for displaced persons and refugees and reconstruction of housing and settlements.
She said the promotion of exchanges of experiences should not wait for Habitat II. The appropriate organizations in the United Nations system as well as other international and non-governmental organizations should develop and maintain necessary networking and twinning arrangements, taking advantage of numerous activities generated by the preparatory process. The positive role of Habitat should be enhanced.
KAREL ZEBRAKOVSKY (Czech Republic) emphasized the need to be careful and very realistic in preparing for Habitat II. A risk faced by the Conference was formulation of goals which were too far-reaching that even if they were adopted they would hardly be implemented. Setting modest but realistic and well targeted objectives would serve the purpose much better. Another risk was timing; the Conference was being held at the end of a series of global United Nations conferences which had become less popular than they had been a few years ago and the messages they produced had become blurred.
Preparations for Habitat II were proceeding in the right direction, he said. The Conference agenda and related documents gave an impression of conscientious work. However, negotiations of such crucial elements such as institutional arrangements and commitments were still to be completed. He expressed the hope that the Committee's consideration would contribute to the adoption of a strong, focused, well-balanced and realistic document.
In the period of transition his country was undergoing, housing and urban problems were among the most difficult to deal with, he said. That was why his country required international support in that sector. His Government looked for cooperation and assistance but it was also increasingly prepared to provide support and share its experience. His country had been elected to the Commission on Human Settlements and had for the first time made a voluntary contribution to support the Centre activities. He called for Conference documents to be available as much as possible on the Internet.
H.L. DE SILVA (Sri Lanka) said significant strides had been made to provide shelter for the people, primarily for the poor. The private sector had been encouraged to participate in the shelter strategy and in enhancing the quality of housing. Indigenous solutions had been employed to eradicate
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homelessness and related problems; Habitat contribution was widely appreciated.
Sri Lanka believed that conclusions to be drawn at Habitat II would highlight problems and solutions that would help in the preparation of a more holistic approach to issues on shelter provision and improvement of the quality of living conditions. It was imperative that adequate support and assistance were provided to the Conference secretariat.
RALPH BRESLER (United States) said the current draft of the Habitat II agenda was sometimes at variance with the Rio principles and the document included issues which were beyond the expertise of the Commission of Human Settlements and the Secretariat. He supported the call from the representative of Japan to give greater focus to the draft agenda.
The United States supported strongly the concept of the government as enabler, he said, adding that it was a concept the Assembly had enshrined as the guiding principle for the preparatory process and for the Conference. That included providing market incentives to enable low income populations to gain access to shelter and urban services. "We want to encourage policies which facilitate the development of markets and which expand the individual's freedom of action." Those fundamental principles needed to be respected consistently throughout the document.
While States had the primary responsibility for development, he said, shelter decisions were more often than not made by individuals. Habitat II must be about aiding those decisions, not making them. "Habitat II is about micro-decisions that must be incorporated into a sustainable whole. Any document which emphasized a government-oriented approach, unrealistic expectations of both central and local authorities and unproductive government interventions will be unacceptable to the United States."
Rather, he said, his Government proposed a partnership which would be driven at the local level and supported at the municipal, state and central government levels. The Habitat II agenda must ultimately give adequate weight to essential actors in the shelter sector. In the vast majority of countries, the private sector, markets and private resource flows were the foundation for the improvement of human settlements. The document should emphasize that fact.
The United States had a national housing policy which continually strived for an appropriate balance between the public and private sectors, he said. To be effective, the Habitat II agenda must stress that the basis for success lay in individual and community based activities within the framework of government facilitation. The United States opposed the creation of a new right to housing. That issue should be viewed as an essential human right.
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He expressed strong support for "equal access", which expanded individual choice and community involvement; "equitable access" often reduced choice.
AKMARAL ARYSTANBEKOVA (Kazakstan) said the various preparatory meetings for Habitat II had shown broad international interest in the issues of shelter. She also stressed the importance of development activities carried out at regional levels which had been confirmed by the Habitat II regional preparatory meetings. The recent regional meeting organized by the Economic Commission for Europe in Budapest for that region's countries in transition provided an opportunity for States to explain their problems and to formulate goals and programmes for adequate and sustainable shelter for their people. Cooperation among them was going well.
She said a regional executive office of Habitat had been established, which was adapting housing indicators developed by the World Bank to conditions in those countries. A national preparatory committee had been established in Kazakstan and her Government had approved a two-year plan of action (1995-1996) which, among others, called for social safety nets and improvements in housing. She appealed for resources for her country and the others with economies in transition to enable them to fully implement their preparatory plans for Habitat II. Decisions of the various major conferences should be implemented to ensure the provision of effective shelter for all.
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