Daily report for 4 June 1996

Delegates to Habitat II continued hearing statements in Plenary on the state of humansettlements. A ceremony honoring “Best Practices” was held at 5:00 pm. Committee Ispent most of the morning session in informal consultations before convening at 12:15 pmto select the Vice-Chairs of the Working Groups. In the afternoon, Working Groups I andII began negotiations on the Habitat Agenda. Committee II held a hearing on localauthorities.

COMMITTEE I

Delegates continued to address organizational matters during the morning session.Regarding the Istanbul Declaration, the Chair noted a broad consensus for an open-endeddrafting group to synthesize existing drafts. AUSTRALIA, supported by the US andINDIA, proposed that paragraphs assigned to Working Group I that deal withinternational cooperation should be allocated to Working Group II. Delegates decided thatthe chairs will reallocate paragraphs between groups when appropriate. The US,supported by the HOLY SEE and the EU, noted paragraphs in the Habitat Agenda werenegotiated at PrepCom III, but bracketed because of inadequate time for adoption. Sheproposed that the Committee adopt these paragraphs before breaking into WorkingGroups. The Chair said that agreement was reached on the bulk of the text, but noted thatthe Conference is competent to revisit the entire document. CANADA soughtconfirmation that NGOs could make interventions during meetings, but could notparticipate in negotiations. UGANDA, for the G-77/CHINA, said the rules of proceduredo not allow for oral submissions in the Committees, but did not object to NGOsubmissions in light of the Committee’s consensus.

Committee I finalized the elections of chairs and vice-chairs. For Committee I, LszlLack (Hungary), Clarkson Umelo (Nigeria) and Ramon Santelises (Chile) were approvedas Vice-Chairs, while the appointment of the rapporteur by the Western Europe andOthers Group remains pending. For Working Group I, Vice-Chair Pavel Suian (Romania)was elected. For Working Group II, Chair Glynn Khonje (Zambia) and Vice-ChairManford Konukiewitz (Germany) were approved. For the informal drafting group for theIstanbul Declaration, Amb. Balkan Kazildeli (Turkey) was approved as Chair and AntonioFernando Melo (Brazil) as Vice-Chair.

WORKING GROUP I

Working Group I began negotiating the Preamble. The brackets in paragraph 1(introduction to Preamble) were removed. Although 2 (purpose of Habitat II)contained no brackets, the SUDAN, on behalf of the Arab Countries Group, added textregarding spiritual and cultural values. The G/77-CHINA, supported by the EU, BRAZILand ROMANIA, requested that the Chair set the precedent to prohibit re-opening ofagreed text. The Sudan’s text was bracketed.

In 2 bis (adequate shelter), the US, supported by JAPAN, objected toremoving the brackets from “the right to adequate housing.” The G-77/CHINA called forthe removal of the brackets. NORWAY, supported by ROMANIA, the EU and the HOLYSEE, said the issue is too sensitive to be resolved now. The paragraph was adopted withthe brackets and delegates agreed to enter into consultations regarding the language. In2 ter (sustainable development of human settlements),CANADAstated that it would accept bracketed text, which notes that accountable governance isindispensable, if “respect for human rights” were added. The US added language regardingeffective participation by NGOs. The Chair recommended that the groups proposingamendments form a small working group to harmonize their ideas into one proposal.

In 3 (global approach), the US wanted the language regarding consumption andproduction to reflect the importance of efforts by all actors. The G-77/CHINA added areference to assistance from developed to developing countries. The US suggested thatanother working group meet to discuss 3. In 4 (previous UNconferences), G-77/CHINA added the 1994 Conference on Natural Disasters. Paragraph5 (history of urbanization) was approved.

In 6 (challenges facing cities), delegates agreed to remove the “particular” needsof international migrants from brackets. Paragraphs 7 (globalization andinterdependence) and 8 (urban-rural linkage) were adopted. Paragraph 9(entitlement to adequate standard of living) will be addressed once the issue of a rightto housing is resolved. Paragraph 9 bis (displaced persons) was adopted.In 9 ter (needs of children and youth), delegates debated a bracketedreference to recognition of “the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and otherpersons legally responsible for children, consistent with the Convention on the Rights ofthe Child.” The G-77/CHINA, the HOLY SEE and the US said it is agreed UN language.NORWAY suggested moving the bracketed language and introducing a reference to theliving environment. The paragraph was adopted with brackets.

In 9quinquiens (women and sustainable settlements), the G-77/CHINA suggestedremoving a bracketed reference to “gender discrimination” and replacing it with“discrimination against women.”

WORKING GROUP II

Working Group II, chaired by Glynn Khonje (Zambia), convened in the afternoon to beginnegotiations on Sections E (international cooperation) and F (implementation and follow-up) of the Global Plan of Action (GPA). INDIA, on behalf of the G-77/CHINA, notedthat these sections are at the heart of the GPA. The success of the Conference dependsupon the agreements made on these paragraphs and G-77/CHINA agreement on othersections will be subject to their satisfactory resolution. The LOCAL AUTHORITIESstressed the importance of key local mechanisms that can be used to implement the GPA,such as Local Agenda 21s.

In 143 (international cooperation), the G-77/CHINA added “economic growth”before the reference to “development.” The EU stated it would accept “economic growth”without “development,” or a reference to economic development, social development andenvironmental protection, which are interdependent components of sustainabledevelopment (from the World Summit for Social Development). Delegates eventuallyagreed to retain only the original reference to “development.”

The US deleted the reference to making human settlements “more equitable” and added“non-discriminatory,” but the G-77/CHINA supported “equitable and non-discriminatory.”

The EU proposed deleting the reference to “specific action by the internationalcommunity,” and called for action “at the national and international levels.” The G-77/CHINA objected. Delegates accepted the CHAIR’s proposal to call for action “at theinternational level.”

COMMITTEE II

Committee II reconvened to conduct a Local Authorities Hearing. During the morningsession international panels addressed the partnership role of local authorities inimplementing the Habitat Agenda and Local Agenda 21s. In the afternoon the Mayors ofRio de Janeiro, Brazil, Johny Araya, and of Eparnay, France, Bernard Stasi, addresseddemocratization and decentralization. Stasi said local authorities can exercise a daily livingdemocracy. During the dialogue, PARAGUAY spoke about uncoordinated efforts in theprovision of international technical assistance. BENIN said the most important thing is toeradicate poverty. It would be a pity to die of hunger in a beautiful city.

The Mayor of Allahabad, India, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, addressing a discussion on applyingtechnology to empower local democracy, said new approaches are needed in managinghuman settlements involving a shift away from top-down approaches. The Mayor ofAbeline, Texas, US, said technology holds the promise of solutions to problems ofurbanization. The final panel considered The Global Way Forward: Unified LocalAuthorities

BEST PRACTICES AWARDS CEREMONY

UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali opened the ceremony, which honored 12initiatives designed to provide positive solutions to the world’s most pressing humansettlement problems. He highlighted their efforts to build partnerships between civilsociety and private enterprise and offered them as proof that sustainable humandevelopment is indeed possible. The awards were given to projects involving a wide rangeof practices, including technology, information, poverty alleviation and improved access toland.

The 12 Best Practices are: Project on Sites and Services for Family Groups with LowIncome Living in the North of Gran, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Integration Council in theFavelas’ Rehabilitation Process, Fortaleza, Brazil; Metro Toronto’s ChangingCommunities: Innovative Responses, Metro Toronto, Canada; Post-calamityReconstruction of Anhui Province’s Rural Areas, China; Successful Institutionalization ofCommunity-based Development in the Commune of Adjam, Abidjan, Cte d’Ivoire; AWomen’s Self-help Organization for Poverty Alleviation in India: The SEWA Bank, India;Shelter Upgrading, Agadir, Morocco; City Management in Tilburg, the Netherlands; LocalInitiative Programme: Community Planning Process and City/Neighborhood Partnership,Lublin, Poland; Community Information Resource Centre (CIRC), Alexandra, SouthAfrica; “Don’t Move, Improve,” Community-owned and -governed Urban RevitalizationProject, South Bronx, New York City, US; and the pollution clean-up and environmentalconservation efforts of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, US.

IN THE CORRIDORS I

The debate over Habitat II implementation in general, and the future of UNCHS inparticular, intensified during private conversations on Tuesday. Committee I was delayedfor two hours during the morning while last minute consultations continued regarding theselection of the chair for Working Group II, which will negotiate the text regardingHabitat II follow-up. Observers note that the G-77/China wants the Conference torecommend a role for UNCHS in the Habitat II follow-up in the context of the UN reviewprocess. Others report that the EU does not want to prejudice the ongoing UN reviewprocess, including the review of UNCHS.

IN THE CORRIDORS II

The Bureau of Committee I meets Wednesday morning to consider measures to injectsome urgency into the pace of negotiations. Chair Kakakhel (Pakistan), who remainsoptimistic about the programme of work, is expected to reconvene the specializedsubgroup on the “right to housing” chaired by Marcela Nicodemus (Brazil). She attractedmuch respect for her handling of the role at PrepCom III in New York. A proposal to taskother experienced delegates to work informally on difficult issues has met with someresistance among smaller delegations.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

PLENARY: The Plenary will meet in the Plenary Hall during the morning andafternoon to hear statements on the state of human settlements from governments, UNagencies, IGOs and NGOs.

WORKING GROUP I: Working Group I, which is considering all aspects of theHabitat Agenda except Sections E (international cooperation) and F (follow-up), isexpected to meet during the morning and afternoon in Conference Room 1.

WORKING GROUP II: The Working Group considering Sections E and F of theGPA is expected to meet at 10:30 am in Conference Room 3. An afternoon meeting isalso expected.

DRAFTING GROUP: The drafting group on the Istanbul Declaration is expectedto meet at 10:00 am in Conference Room A.

COMMITTEE II: The Committee is expected to meet in Conference Room 2.Hearings involving representatives of the World Business Forum and the FoundationsForum are expected during morning and afternoon meetings, respectively.