Press Release
HAB/IST/22
Conference on Human Settlements HAB/IST/22
15th Plenary Meeting (AM) 13 June 1996
HABITAT II DESCRIBED AS A REMARKABLE PROCESS AT
SECOND DAY OF HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT
The 'City Summit' has been a remarkable process that
would ultimately forge an international framework for building
healthy, sustainable and livable urban communities for the
next century, the Second United Nations Conference on Human
Settlements (Habitat II) was told this morning, as it
continued its high-level segment.
Several speakers emphasized the positive aspects of the
Conference and its preparatory process, expressing pride in
what they had achieved. Particularly important has been the
agreement in reaffirming the right to housing as a human
right, integrating the empowerment of women, the concerns of
youth and indigenous people. Participation of the
beneficiaries of housing settlements in decision-making was
seen as being crucial in the process of creating sustainable
human settlements. Local authorities, non-governmental and
community-based organizations, too, should be involved.
Statements were made by the Minister for Housing and
Building of Denmark; the Secretary of State for the
Environment of the United Kingdom; the Secretary for Housing
and Urban Development of the United States; the Minister for
Public Works and Government Services of Canada; the Minister
for Construction and Transportation of the Republic of Korea;
the Minister for Environment and Regional Planning of
Slovenia; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cote d'Ivoire;
the Minister for Public Works and Housing of Jordan; the
Minister for Municipal Affairs and Agriculture of Qatar.
The representative of Paraguay also made a statement.
The Secretary for the Pontifical Council for Justice and
Peace of the Holy See and the Acting Minister for Housing of
the Palestinian Authority also spoke.
The high-level segment will reconvene at 3 p.m. today
(more)
OLE LOVIG SIMONSEN, Minister for Housing and Building of
Denmark: Denmark is one of the few countries granting the
agreed target of 0.7 per cent of its gross national product in
development assistance. It has gone further, giving up to 1
per cent for assistance, half of which is granted as bilateral
assistance and the other to multilateral institutions. The
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) is one
of the bodies through which Denmark channels assistance.
Denmark is the largest donor to the Centre.
The main responsibility for implementing the Habitat
Agenda rests with countries, with the involvement of all
actors and efforts at all levels. Denmark is committed to
continuing its efforts to obtain adequate housing for all and
sustainable human settlements. People should be involved in
the process. "Physical and urban planning must be carried out
with and by the people and not just for the people".
International conferences should draw upon each other. In the
Copenhagen Conference's Plan of Action, for instance, special
attention was devoted to urban poverty and its implementation
will take place in an urban framework.
JOHN GUMMER, Secretary of State for the Environment of
the United Kingdom: The Conference has expressed the desire
for proper shelter in terms of "rights." The right to decent
housing is better expressed as an obligation on all to create
the conditions which make decent housing possible.
Partnerships are necessary for regenerating cities. They
should be formed between governments, business, industry,
voluntary organizations and the people.
The United Kingdom is rejuvenating its cities, with the
participation of individuals. Tenants are choosing the kind
of homes they want and managing them, there is shared
ownership, self-help community action, partnership, multi-
national corporations sitting down with amenity groups and
government action plans prepared by housing association
tenants. "Too often, elites -- whether good-natured
philanthropists or ideologically-driven Marxists -- have
sought to better other people's lot in ways which they -- the
elites -- think best". Habitat II should empower people and
show the way towards building cities which respect people and
their worth.
HENRY G. CISEROS, Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development of the United States: Habitat II has been a
remarkable process that would ultimately forge an
international framework for building healthy, sustainable
urban communities for the next century. Finding common values
and shared goals is a better way to shape the future "than
replaying the stale drama of confrontation." The Conference
has affirmed the importance of participatory decision-making
at the local level. However, local initiative cannot thrive
in an environment of heavy-handed bureaucracy and top-down
government. National governments should support local actors
in their efforts to design and implement locally-crafted
solutions.
The private sector, too, should be involved in seeking
solutions.
The United States Government is committed to helping the
most needy and will play an appropriate leadership role in the
national community-building efforts, especially with regard to
discrimination and providing a voice and a safety net for the
most vulnerable. As long as there are people who lack basic
services, societies can never be sustainable, "no matter how
well off the rest of us may seem."
DIANE MARLEAU, Minister for Public Works and Government
Services of Canada: Canada is proud of its achievements in
Habitat II which include securing an agreement on reaffirming
the right to housing as a human right recognized in
international law; and integrating the empowerment of women,
the concerns of youth and indigenous people in the global plan
of action.
Provincial and territorial governments play a key role in
shaping Canada's settlements. The Federal Government will
continue to meet its financial obligations to social housing,
currently about $2 billion a year, in support of about 664,000
social housing units across the country. It will give
priority to the housing conditions of its aboriginal
populations. Canada is committed to fostering partnerships
between key elements of Canadian society and their
counterparts in developing countries. The Canadian urban
experience allows it to forge links with municipalities and
communities in other countries. Canada intends to continue its
international cooperation activities in a spirit of mutual
exchange.
CHOO KYUNG SUK, Minister for Construction and
Transportation of the Republic of Korea: The right to
adequate housing is a basic human rights and Korea is glad
that it has been reaffirmed in the Conference. The Habitat
Agenda should now focus on the content of that right and how
to realize it. Shelter for all should be promoted in a manner
consistent with human rights and social justice. A concerted
global effort should help achieve the Agenda's goals.
Korea will build several public rental housing units,
while promoting the reconstruction of dilapidated estates.
The measures will significantly alleviate the housing shortage
by the year 2005. To support the implementation of the
Agenda, Korea will emphasize the housing sector in formulating
its development plans, concentrate on implementing measures
adopted in the Agenda and work through bilateral, regional and
international bodies to cooperate with the United Nations
system.
PAVEL GANTAR, Minister for Environment and Regional
Planning of Slovenia: In Slovenia, urban development provides
an appropriate basis for a lasting balance of regional
development and for the country's economic and social
stability. It is necessary to strike a careful economic,
social and ecological balance in the development of cities and
the hinterland. Local participation should be emphasized in
urban and rural planning.
A common denominator in the Habitat Agenda is the right
to housing. Policies designed to ensure its realization are
necessary to combat poverty. The Conference has recognized
that poverty particularly affects women and called for
meaningful action on the problem. The creation of jobs for
them should become an important priority. Slovenia will make
the Agenda an important aspect of its policy-making and
support global efforts to implement it.
AMARA ESSY, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cote
d'Ivoire: The developmental approach of Cote d'Ivoire has
been to define and implement a vision based on the adage --
"making Ivoirian man happy." It has been based on a series of
national plans which were predicated on land development, the
promotion of a rural economy, and a policy of habitat for all,
particularly the economically weak. It also focussed on a
bold land development policy at the regional level. The
Government's record at implementation has been positive. The
State has contained urbanization. Its new challenges include
participatory development by means of administrative
devolution and decentralization to rural bodies.
The international community must resolve the debt problem
of developing countries. Its resolution will boost
international cooperation and loosen the hold of the debt
issue on States. Multilateral institutions and donor
countries should consider debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire.
JURE RADIC, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for
Development and Reconstruction of Croatia: The international
community must be warned of the detrimental effects of war on
human settlements. As a war-torn country, Croatia exemplifies
the problems faced in reconstructing settlements and in
re-establishing life in destroyed settlements. Priority has
been given to the reconstruction of homes and last year, 5,000
houses were built with budgetary funds. For 1996, 20,000 more
are planned and a further 20,000 are projected for 1997. The
Ministry of Development and Reconstruction is implementing
numerous reconstruction programmes. Reconstruction of entire
settlements is under way, with 60 settlements already
completed, and a further 240 in progress.
Utmost importance must be attached to international
cooperation and aid, especially in the rehabilitation of
destroyed settlements and cities. Solutions to human and
material suffering require large funds, a longer
rehabilitation period, and expertise in the planning and
implementation of development projects.
GERALDO HOLANDA CAVALCANTI, Special Representative of the
President of Brazil: Habitat II has proven to be successful
in raising awareness for the problems of human settlements.
It has reaffirmed the right to adequate housing for all. For
Brazil's Government, the right to housing is the cornerstone
of its human settlements policies. The realization of the
Conference goals will require greater efforts at international
cooperation at all levels.
The main axis of Brazilian urban policy includes
decentralization, integration, social participation and
equity, which coincide with the goals of the Habitat Agenda.
Resource allocation decisions have been shifted to local
governments, councils and representative groups. Priority has
been given to programmes targeted at the poorest and the most
vulnerable groups. In the 1996-1999 national plan of action,
the Federal Government has allocated $38 billion for
investments and cost-sharing projects which will improve the
housing conditions of about 10 million people, supply safe
water for another 39 million and create about 3 million jobs.
ABDELHADI AL MAJALI, Minister for Public Works and
Housing of Jordan: Despite its high population growth and the
immigration problems it has faced from the decades of conflict
in the Middle East, Jordan has provided reasonable shelter to
most of its families. It is about to eradicate illiteracy and
has greatly improved its health standards. Life expectancy,
which was 35 years at dawn of the century, is now 70 years.
Infant mortality has been reduced to levels comparable to
those in developed nations. Despite that, Jordan's problems
are multiplying. The lack of natural resources, particularly
water, increases economic and social pressures on all. Since
most countries in the region suffer from increasing water
shortage, Jordan seeks regional cooperation to facilitate the
sharing of natural resources.
Habitat II should emphasize the need for jobs and
improved quality of life. It should play a vital role in the
efforts to protect the living environment through actions at
the local and the global levels.
AHMED BIN HAMAD ALTHANI, Minister for Municipal Affairs
of Qatar: The Conference should transform the idea of
sustained urban development into reality and guarantee the
implementation of the recommendations and obligations that are
adopted. The international community must cooperate in
implementing the Conference's principles, which should lead to
the sustainable development of human settlements.
Qatar has undertaken housing projects for senior
Government staff, citizens with limited incomes and the
disabled and orphans. Senior staff are granted 20-year,
interest-free loans of about $165,000 to build homes. They
are given free land and 20 per cent of the loans are written-
off. Houses are built for those with limited incomes at the
cost of $83,000 each. Land and other services are provided
free of charge and 40 per cent of their loans written-off.
The State builds houses for the disabled and orphans. Qatar
is also laying down a development plan that will develop the
rural areas and regions to create employment opportunities in
order to deter migration into the cities.
JULIO CESAR SAMUDIO HAMUY, Director-General of the
National Committee for Habitat II of Paraguay: Paraguay fully
supports the activities of the United Nations. Governments
and the international community cannot postpone attending to
people's needs if they are to avoid the consequences of
discontent and social disorder. A prerequisite for achieving
the Conference's goals is a democratic system, with a respect
for basic human rights.
The Habitat II process in Paraguay was supported by all
the partners. The country's action plan includes programmes
which address the needs of its citizens. Much still needs to
be done to improve human settlements. In the housing sector
this year, subsidized housing was built for 10,000 families,
which leaves a deficit of 15,000 dwellings. Local governments
will be given more resources to deal with infrastructural
development in their communities. International cooperation
and technical assistance will be fundamental to the
implementation of the Habitat Agenda.
DIARMUID MARTIN, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace of the Holy See: One of the main
achievements of the Conference is the outcome of its
negotiations on the right to adequate housing for all.
Governments have recognized it as an obligation and committed
themselves to promoting it. States, their partners, local
authorities and civil society should ensure that the right
becomes a reality. The Holy See will help in that process.
The Holy See recognizes two significant housing
initiatives. The first award will be for the "Fundacion de
Viviendas del Hogar de Cristo," whose aim is to help design
and build houses for poor families in Latin America. The
second will be given to the head of the Catholic Diocese of
Byumba, Rwanda, to build or rehabilitate houses for refugees
returning home. The awards are each worth $50,000. A new
"political will" should be constructed, especially in richer
nations, to find global solutions for urban problems.
MARUAN ADBEL HAMID, Acting Minister for Housing of the
Palestinian Authority (Observer for Palestine): The Authority
will need international help to meet the need for 200,000 new
housing units yearly until the year 2000. A major obstacle on
the road to peace is lack of economic development, among which
is unemployment that affects 65 per cent of the labour market
in the Gaza Strip. Despite its problems, the Authority will
continue with the peace process and secure the rights of the
Palestinian people, in accordance with international
legitimacy. The recent elections at the beginning of the year
showed the Palestinians' desire for peace and an independent
State of Palestine, with its capital in Jerusalem. The right
of the Palestinians to return should be considered, the plight
of the more than 3.5 million refugees addressed and Israeli
settlements stopped. Habitat II strategies will only succeed
if there is justice.
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