HABITAT II A CONFERENCE OF NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMON GOAL, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT

Press Release
SG/SM/6002
HAB/132

HABITAT II A CONFERENCE OF NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMON GOAL, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT

Following is the text of a statement made by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali at the opening of the High-Level Segment of the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, Turkey, 12 June:

It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to address this meeting of distinguished world leaders, assembled here in Istanbul. You have gathered to consider the course of action the human race must take to prepare for a common future in the twenty-first century. From this Conference in Istanbul must emanate a message that will endure long after Habitat II. The message that all nations and peoples are working together as equal partners and sharing responsibility for one world.

These are times of dramatic change. But there is also a sense of opportunity and hope that a new world can be built. That our goals of social progress and greater opportunity for all humanity can be achieved. These goals will have to be achieved in the cities, towns and smaller settlements of a rapidly urbanizing world. A global urban civilization will have a profound impact on patterns of national and international development and economic growth. We cannot ignore its implications for natural resource use and environmental sustainability.

Such changes already are taking place, driven by globalization and liberalization of the world economy, by democratization and by the technological revolution. Urbanization is not simply a demographic phenomenon. It is changing relations between town and countryside. It is changing the face of both cities and villages.

We must respond. We cannot go on as before. These challenges are real. They must be addressed sooner rather than later, in all countries. We will

certainly stand a greater chance of success if we face these changes together in global partnership.

Already, the mass exodus to cities has led to sharpened urban poverty, especially among women and dependent children. Scarcity of housing and basic services. Unemployment and underemployment. Ethnic tensions and violence. Substance abuse. Crime and social disintegration. The emergence of giant megacities has brought land degradation, traffic congestion, and air, water and soil pollution. All human settlements, cities, towns and villages are under unprecedented economic pressure.

But we must look towards these same human settlements for economic growth and jobs for future generations. The world's human settlements must, therefore, become sustainable, productive, safe, healthy and humane. This demands solutions and answers to some very hard questions. How do we improve the governance and financing of human settlements? Which policies can improve the living and working conditions of the poor, of families and communities? How can economic growth and employment opportunities be greatly expanded in cities without long-term environmental damage and waste of the planet's natural resources? How do we provide both town and countryside with scarce resources? How do we provide affordable housing and services to the world's growing population?

These questions are not aimed only at the developing South. Economic and social change casts a shadow over cities in the industrialized North as well. Common problems demand a common global agenda to address them.

We face a future for which the past is no guide. But here in Istanbul, we have drawn a road map to that future. We have taken bold steps. We have launched a new process for world-wide partnership for sustainable human settlements in an urbanizing world. By doing so, we also advance the commitments made by the international community throughout the cycle of landmark United Nations conferences which began at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

This Habitat Conference has been notable in many respects. Two areas stand out: its strong emphasis on alliance-building and on innovative ideas. No previously held United Nations conference has involved the contributions of so many specialized constituencies of stakeholders. Local authorities, businesses, non-governmental organizations, parliamentarians, women's groups, trade unions, academies of science and engineering, religious groups, cultural societies, foundations and youth -- each in its own forum has debated and shaped its own role in support of the Conference goals.

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This Conference established a formal mechanism through which these crucial actors could express their ideas, voice their concerns and interact with government representatives. Thus, Habitat is the first United Nations conference to have given, as part of its official machinery, a platform to representatives of civil society. This has been a conference in which new partnerships have begun to take shape, in support of a common objective.

This process was strengthened by the many parallel events which took place during the Conference itself. Dialogues, seminars, symposia, panels and presentations of all kinds tackled the major substantive issues before the Conference, thus broadening and deepening its already vast and complex agenda. The wide variety of subjects that were addressed was matched by the diversity of their sponsors. I congratulate the Government of Turkey and the municipality of Istanbul for facilitating this process and for the very active organizing and sponsoring role they have played.

An important aspect of the Habitat process should be highlighted for its technical and practical contribution. This is the identification of "best practices" as models of innovative thinking and sources of inspiration for urban improvements. In this way, Habitat has been a launching pad for ideas that can make a difference in people's lives and which can be freely used and adapted to serve all communities in search of a better life. Such innovation has given this Conference a unique flair and is a guarantee of its practical impact.

I have been particularly satisfied to see that this has been a truly system-wide collective effort. Cooperation among the agencies and programmes of the United Nations, including the Bretton Woods institutions, was productive both in the proceedings of the Conference and in the many parallel events. I will spare no effort to ensure that this strong spirit of inter-agency teamwork and interaction will be maintained in the next crucial phase of translating your decisions into concrete action.

In this respect, I would like to emphasize three requirements:

-- The individual institutions of the United Nations system must engage in mutually supporting activities. This is particularly important given the multidisciplinary nature of this Conference.

-- The follow-up to this Conference must be integrated with the actions under way to implement the outcomes of other recent global conferences. The framework for such integrated follow-up has been set through the thematic task forces established by the United Nations system. The issues covered by these task forces: employment and sustainable livelihood, the enabling environment

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and social services, together with the emphasis on the alleviation of poverty are critical to the implementation of decisions reached at this Conference.

-- We must give additional push in the follow-up phase to reinforcing the partnerships between the United Nations and civil society, whose active participation and diverse contributions have made this Conference so singular and so productive.

It is time to demonstrate the vision, leadership and political will to confront the challenges that this Conference has addressed. You, as heads of State and government, individually and collectively, are the facilitators to set that process in motion. The decisions reached at Istanbul constitute a solid foundation for future progress. But they must be translated into concrete measures, into national policy, into new forms of international cooperation, into greater cooperation between government and civil society.

Thank you, Mr. President, for your wise leadership and strong commitment to the success of this Conference.

Our deep appreciation must also go to the Mayor of Istanbul, and to the people of this magnificent city, for their warm welcome and generous hospitality.

Finally, on behalf of the United Nations system, I wish to thank Turkey for making this truly unique event possible. This county and its people can be justly proud for their contribution, through this Conference, to build a better world. Thank you.

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