Parallel Event

Final Report - Parallel Event, Istanbul +5
Tuesday, 5 June 2001
Room 3
"Cities on the Move: Towards Sustainable Urban Development"

Over 80 persons attended and participated in a parallel on urban transport and sustainable human settlements on June 5 co-organized by UNCHS (Habitat), The World Bank, and the International Foundation for the Urban Environment based in Brussels. A wide variety of speakers presented the issue of urban transport and its crucial role in ensuring sustainable human settlements from the perspective of national governments, local authorities and NGOs. The occasion also witnessed the launching of the World Bank's new urban transport strategy which hopes to clearly link urban transport with poverty alleviation and explore ways in which urban transport can be used as a tool for poverty alleviation.

As a follow-up to the Habitat II Dialogue for the 21st Century entitled "Transport in the City of Tomorrow" the meeting was a follow-up to this important event at Istanbul and, therefore, very appropriate for Istanbul +5. Participants reviewed the implementation of the transport provisions of the Habitat Agenda and agreed that a new-found international movement on sustainable transport was evident generally but that it needed to be more specifically linked with poverty alleviation. While the World Bank was acknowledged as one of the leading players in transport infrastructure investment, the role that local authorities, other inter-governmental institutions, other United Nations organizations and representatives of civil society and civil society could play was also acknowledged.

The meeting ended with the expression of concern and disappointment that the phrase "urban transport" was not mentioned in any of the upcoming resolutions to be considered during the UNGASS and participants were exhorted to work through national delegations to submit amendments. They were also encouraged to ensure the elevation of this issue on the radar screen of international development institutions so that it is recognized for its integral role in ensuring sustainable human settlements.