Daily report for 3 June 1996

The Second UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) commenced with amorning Plenary meeting. Delegates met in the afternoon to hear general statements in thePlenary, and discussed the organization of work in Committees I (Habitat Agenda) and II(role of partners).

OPENING PLENARY

UN Secretary-General BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI opened Habitat II and noted thatthe recent series of UN conferences have shaped an agenda for development and arecrucial for the determination of the future of life on the planet. Innovative aspects ofHabitat II include the range of partners that have been included in the process and the BestPractices initiative, which demonstrates the capacity of human beings to rise to thechallenge to renew our societies.

The Conference then elected SLEYMAN DEMIREL, President of Turkey, as Presidentof the Conference. He stated that the Habitat Conference will generate innovativestrategies that reinforce the importance of human development within the largersustainable development agenda. We cannot afford to let the remarkable achievements ofpreceding conferences fail due to political and financial obstacles. Habitat II is an all-encompassing conference on humankind, and as the last of the UN conferences of thiscentury, it must incorporate and supplement the successes of prior meetings to achieve abetter quality of life for all in the 21st century.

Delegates then adopted the rules of procedure (A/CONF.165/2) and the agenda and otherorganizational matters (A/CONF.165/1). Representatives from the following countrieswere elected as Vice-Presidents: Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan,Zimbabwe, China, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, El Salvador, Jamaica, Peru, France, Germany, Greece, Sweden, the US, theUK, Bulgaria, Romania and the Russian Federation.

Emre Gnensay, Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs, was elected Vice-President exofficio and Ricardo Gorosito (Uruguay) Rapporteur-General. Shafqat Kakakhel(Pakistan) was elected to chair Committee I (Habitat Agenda) and Martti Lujanen(Finland) to chair Committee II (role of partners). The Credentials Committee will include:China, Luxembourg, Mali, the Marshall Islands, the Russian Federation, South Africa,Trinidad and Tobago, the US and Venezuela.

Delegates agreed to the pre-conference consultations’ recommendations regardingaccreditation of international associations of local authorities (A/CONF.165/6 and Add.1)and NGOs (A/CONF.165/5 and Add. 1 and 2). GREECE noted reservations to theaccreditation of the West Thrace Turks and TURKEY noted reservations to the non-accreditation of three Turkish Cypriot organizations.

Delegates then began the general exchange of views, focusing on the state of humansettlements, including strategies for their implementation. After expressing his gratitude tothe city of Istanbul, its leaders and all involved in the preparatory process, Secretary-General of the Conference WALLY N'DOW highlighted the importance of Habitat II inforging new pathways for the future of humanity. The great task that lies before us is toshine the spotlight of awareness and commitment wherever people exist in the shadow ofdespair. A new global contract for building sustainable societies is being constructed andmust reflect the context of increasing globalization and the importance of non-state actors.Many issues considered in Istanbul are most relevant at the local level, so partnershipsbetween governments and local authorities and other non-state actors are essential foreffective implementation of the Habitat Agenda. The hearings of Committee II provide anunprecedented platform for these actors. The Best Practices initiative provides a uniqueopportunity to share successful strategies that will help bring about the commitmentsneeded to resolve human settlements problems.

COSTA RICA, on behalf of the G-77/China, stated that the eradication of homelessnessmust receive the highest priority and Habitat II should consolidate the right to housing.The G-77/China will submit a proposal for an Istanbul Declaration. Habitat II muststrengthen the existing mechanisms for coordination among nations, including theUNCHS. In addition, substantial financial resources should be mobilized.

ITALY, on behalf of the EU, noted that the primary arena for action is the local level. Hestated that a summarized document could be considered. He called for increased attentionto the needs of people living in poverty. He stressed the importance of rural and urbanlinkages and stated that national and international follow-up should be complementary. Onbehalf of Italy, he noted that land planning policies would be reviewed and that they arepreparing Rome for the jubilee in 2000.

On behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, COLOMBIA stated that the right to housingshould be a fundamental principle of the Habitat Agenda, because it is a fundamentalhuman right. While action and policy implementation at the national level is mostimportant, a concerted international effort is also needed, which can be advanced bycreating a favorable international economic environment. Developed countries are calledupon to assist developing countries by providing new and additional financial resources,technical assistance and information on available technology. The non-aligned countriesaffirm their commitment to full implementation of the Habitat Agenda and to workingwithin a framework of broad participation.

TURKEY stated that adequate shelter is integral to the right to an adequate standard ofliving. Turkey has implemented successful initiatives to keep pace with the growingdemand for housing. The construction and building materials sectors have been developedsignificantly and financed effectively. Improving administrative support and investing ininfrastructure for medium-sized cities have become policy priorities to counter the exodusfrom rural to urban areas. The Turkish government places particular importance on theeducation of children so the next generation will have a greater appreciation ofenvironmental problems. Turkey is part of a wide-reaching regional initiative that iscooperating to develop strategies for human settlements and urban areas.

The US stated that Habitat II must continue to emphasize the sustainable developmentprocess that the world embraced in Rio. He stressed the definition of sustainabledevelopment used in Copenhagen at the World Summit for Social Development, whichincluded economic growth, environmental protection and social development. Hereaffirmed that the existence of a right to adequate housing is a component of existingrights.

CHINA stated that access to adequate housing is the most fundamental of all humanrights. Economic growth and poverty eradication are key to solving human settlementsproblems. Governments at all levels should harmonize efforts to integrate the environment,human settlements development and population growth. Rural and urban areas should begiven equal emphasis in human settlements development. Effective internationalcooperation is essential to solving human settlements problems and the UN must play asignificant role in its coordination. China’s urban development policy consists of strategiesto control the size of large cities, actively improve small and medium-sized cities andimprove countryside settlements.

COMMITTEE I

Committee I, chaired by Shafqat Kakakhel (Pakistan), held its first meeting in theafternoon. The session opened with a short video presentation by the ConferenceSecretariat. The Chair stated his conviction that while there are differences over thecontent of the document, these are not unbridgeable given a spirit of accommodation. AtTurkey’s request, he postponed the election of vice-chairs and the rapporteur untilTuesday, to allow further consultations on nominations.

<$TSpInterLn=1440;EfWeight=4>The Chair proceeded to Item 9, the Adoption of theHabitat Agenda: Goals and Principles, Commitments and Global Plan of Action(A/CONF.165/9) and explained that the Committee should complete its work beforeMonday, 10 June. He listed the relevant documents: A/CONF.165/9 and Add. 1 and 2;A/CONF.165/L.1 and Corr. 1 and Add. 1 and 2; and A/CONF.165/CRP.1. He suggestedthat agreed text be adopted by Committee I on 11 June.

The US reminded the Chair that agreement had been reached at PrepCom III to circulate acompendium of NGO suggestions in Istanbul. The Chair noted that NGOs have producedan NGO compilation document that is available to delegations.

Two working groups were established. One will consider outstanding text in Sections E(international cooperation) and F (assessing progress) of the draft Global Plan of Action.The other group, chaired by Kakakhel, will consider the rest of the draft Habitat Agenda.

Responding to a number of requests for clarification regarding NGO participation, theChair explained that NGOs will have an opportunity to make comments during officialmeetings, subject to conditions, but cannot take the floor during informal sessions. He saidwhen it comes to the “ping pong” exchanges between delegations, NGOs will not beinvolved.

The Chair confirmed that a broad consensus has been reached on the need for an “IstanbulDeclaration.” Two drafts, prepared by Turkey and the G-77/China, are already availablefor discussion, and a third is in preparation. Discussion will move from informalconsultations to an open-ended group. The US asked for a structured invitation to NGOsto address the Committee.

IN THE CORRIDORS

Some participants expressed surprise at the recent proposal for an Istanbul Declaration.They commented that a Declaration at this point in the negotiations would not set the tonebut rather follow the lead of the text, as did the Beijing Declaration. Some have suggestedthat a summary of the Habitat Agenda would be useful, particularly for conveying themessage of Habitat II to the public. Others argue that a Declaration is not the way toconvey the message. They say the Principles section of the Habitat Agenda contains thetype of language typical of a Declaration, so that in some ways, a Declaration alreadyexists. A few proposals are being circulated. They are reported to be compatible, andnegotiations are expected to be conducted informally, given the limited translation timebudgeted for the Conference.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

PLENARY: The Plenary is expected to meet during the morning and afternoon inthe Plenary Hall to continue hearing statements on the state of human settlements.

COMMITTEE I: The Committee will meet at 10:00 am in Conference Room 1.Delegates are expected to elect the Bureau and the Chair of Working Group II, followingwhich delegates will break into two working groups. Working Group I will continue inConference Room 1 and Working Group II will meet in Conference Room 3 (Lutfi KirdarConference Centre).

COMMITTEE II: The Committee will meet all day in Conference Room 2 for aLocal Authorities Hearing. Topics to be addressed are: local authorities as partners inimplementing the Habitat Agenda; local Agenda 21s; democratization anddecentralization; modernization and application of technology; and unified local authoritiesand the UN as partners.