Curtain raiser

The Second UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), meeting in Istanbul,Turkey from 3-14 June 1996, will allow participants to consider the issue of sustainablehuman settlements through a variety of fora. General statements on the state of humansettlements will be offered in Plenary from 3-11 June. A High-Level Segment from 12-14June will allow world leaders to commit to making cities sustainable. Committee I willnegotiate the Habitat Agenda: Goals and Principles, Commitments and Global Plan ofAction. Committee II will conduct hearings on the role and contribution of localauthorities, NGOs and other partners.

(Editor’s Note: The daily ENB reports will focus on the negotiations in Committee Iand the commitments offered during the High-Level Segment.)

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HABITAT II

The Second UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) is meeting on the 20thanniversary of the first Habitat Conference in Vancouver, Canada. The Secretary-Generalof the Conference is Dr. Wally N’Dow.

The objectives for Habitat II are: (1) in the long term, to arrest the deterioration of globalhuman settlement conditions and ultimately create the conditions for achievingimprovements in the living environment of all people on a sustainable basis, with specialattention to the needs and contributions of women and vulnerable social groups; and (2) toadopt a general statement of principles and commitments and formulate a related GlobalPlan of Action capable of guiding national and international efforts through the first twodecades of the next century.

ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION

The organizational session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for Habitat II washeld at UN Headquarters in New York from 3-5 March 1993. Delegates elected theBureau and took several decisions regarding the organization and timing of the process.Martti Lujanen (Finland) was elected PrepCom Chair.

PREPCOM I

The first substantive session of the PrepCom was held in Geneva from 11-22 April 1994.Delegates agreed that the overriding objective of the Conference should be to increaseglobal awareness of the problems and potentials of human settlements and to commit theworld’s leaders to making cities, towns and villages healthy, safe, just and sustainable. ThePrepCom also took decisions on the organization of the Conference and financing, as wellas the following issues.

Regarding national objectives, delegates agreed that each participating country shoulddesign, adopt and implement a national plan of action that would address the issue ofhuman settlements in both urban and rural areas and involve the full participation andsupport of the public and private sectors, and non-governmental (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). Countries should also strengthen the capacity of institutionsat all levels to monitor shelter conditions and urbanization processes using a minimum setof indicators.

Regarding international objectives, delegates agreed that the preparatory process should:present a “State of Human Settlements” report; produce a Statement of Principles andCommitments based on a new international consensus on shelter policies and goals;produce a Global Plan of Action to mobilize international resources and createinstitutional arrangements to assist countries to implement and monitor Habitat goals andto protect the environment against unwarranted and undesirable impacts of urbanization;and make available the broadest range of information concerning shelter strategies,technologies, resources, experience, expertise and sources of support.

Regarding participation, delegates agreed that governments of participating States shouldestablish national committees with broad participation from all levels of government andcivil society. These committees should formulate, adopt and implement a workprogramme that includes the production of a national report, discussion of priority issues,organization of local and country consultations and fora, and preparation and presentationof audio-visual documentaries of examples of best practices in human settlementsdevelopment.

Regarding the draft Statement of Principles and Commitments and the draft Global Plan ofAction, delegates agreed that the former should reaffirm and be framed within the generalgoals of the UN, contain a reference to the Principles adopted by Habitat I as well as theRio Declaration, and introduce the rationale for the new principles and commitments thatwill guide national and international action on human settlements. The GPA should bestructured around the two main themes of the Conference: adequate shelter for all andsustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world. Multi-sectoral issuesto be considered include: settlements management; poverty reduction; environmentalmanagement; and disaster mitigation, relief and reconstruction. Cross-sectoral issuesinclude: women; the urban economy; social and economic dimensions of urbanization andshelter development; education and capacity building; and vulnerable social groups.

PREPCOM II

The second session of the PrepCom met in Nairobi, Kenya, from 24 April-5 May 1995.The Committee considered organizational matters for PrepCom III and the Conferenceitself; prepared the first part of the draft Statement of Principles and Commitments and theGlobal Plan of Action (GPA); and prepared draft decisions for consideration by the 50thGeneral Assembly.

Working Group I, chaired by Pamela Mboya (Kenya), considered preparations for theConference and the status of human settlements reports and major reviews. Duringdiscussion of the rules of procedure, the issue of the participation of local authorities cameunder scrutiny.

Working Group II, chaired by Amb. H. L. de Silva (Sri Lanka), began work on the draftStatement of Principles and Commitments and the draft Global Plan of Action. The draftGPA contained the following sections: a preamble, principles, goals and commitments, andstrategies for implementation. The PrepCom made some progress on the first three partsof the document, but delegates acknowledged that a significant amount of work remained.To facilitate negotiations, delegates decided to continue drafting informally during theintersessional period through an open-ended drafting group.

INTERSESSIONAL DRAFTING GROUP

The 17-member Informal Drafting Group (IDG) included governmental, local governmentand NGO representatives. It was charged with preparing the documentation for PrepComIII and met twice. The first meeting from 17-21 July 1995 was held in Nairobi, where thefourth part of the GPA dealing with strategies for implementation was drafted. The IDGdraft focused on: adequate shelter for all; sustainable human settlements in an urbanizingworld; capacity building and institutional development; international cooperation andcoordination; and tracking progress and impact evaluation. The draft was circulated to UNMember States, NGO networks and others, and was revised.

The second meeting of the IDG met in Paris from 9-14 October 1995. Delegates reviewedthe revised draft and made progress on the text, but deferred a number of matters toPrepCom III, including the principle that deals with the family. The IDG did not submit adraft text on some points, including international financial assistance, housing rights andinstitutional follow-up.

PREPCOM III

The third session of the PrepCom met at UN Headquarters in New York from 5-16February 1996. Organizational questions included: participation of NGOs and theimplementation of Rule 61 to facilitate input from local authorities, and financialresources. Negotiations began on the draft Statement of Principles and Commitments andthe GPA. Key debates included the “right to housing” and the role of UNCHS in Habitatfollow-up. A heavily bracketed text went forward to Istanbul, in part due to timeconstraints.

Working Group I, chaired by Pamela Mboya (Kenya), discussed funding for Habitat II, the“Best Practices” initiative, and parallel fora in Istanbul. Australia proposed thatparticipants in Habitat II commit to action by 2000.

Working Group II, chaired by Amb. H. L. de Silva (Sri Lanka), formed three sub-groupsto consider the draft Statement of Principles and Commitments and the GPA. Subgroup Aconsidered the Preamble and NGO participation, and allocated problematic texts onsustainable development and financial resources and the right to housing to informalgroups. Subgroups B and C considered the GPA introduction, adequate shelter,sustainable human settlements and capacity building.

PRE-CONFERENCE CONSULTATIONS

Delegates met from 1-2 June 1996 for pre-conference consultations, which were chairedby Huseyin elem, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the UN. Delegates agreed on anumber of procedural recommendations for the Conference, including the rules ofprocedure, the agenda, and accreditation of international associations of local authoritiesand NGOs. Delegates recommended that Sleyman Demirel, President of Turkey, beelected President of the Conference and Emre Gnensay, Turkish Minister of ForeignAffairs, be elected Vice-President ex-officio. Shafqat Kakakhel (Pakistan), wasrecommended to chair Committee I (Habitat Agenda), and Martti Lujanen (Finland) tochair Committee II (the role of partners). Ricardo Gorosito (Uruguay) was recommendedas Rapporteur-General. Some delegates inquired about the procedure for reporting onCommittee II and suggested adjustments to the timetable.

IN THE CORRIDORS I

Delegates and organizers alike are anxious to avoid delays that stymied the negotiatingprocess at PrepCom III. The arrival of senior DPCSD officials in Istanbul has beeninterpreted by some observers to indicate their enhanced role in facilitating thenegotiations. It has also been suggested that Conference organizers task experienceddelegates with resolving contentious issues. Whatever the procedural innovations,however, substantive debates are still expected on issues including sustainabledevelopment and economic growth, and the “right to housing.”

IN THE CORRIDORS II

Participants at the NGO Forum are complaining of the heavy undercover police presence,particularly following the storming on 31 May of the Alternative Forum, organized by 38Turkish NGOs. The Governor of Istanbul stated that the action by the Security Forceswas justified when organizers failed to notify him of their intention to hold the event.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

PLENARY: The opening Plenary will meet during the morning in the PlenaryHall. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali is expected to give the opening remarks,followed by the election of the President of the Conference and an address by SleymanDemirel, President of the Republic of Turkey. Delegates are expected to consider:adoption of the rules of procedure; election of officers; adoption of the agenda;organization of work; and the appointment of the Credentials Committee. Following anaddress by Secretary-General Wally N’Dow, delegates will begin to exchange views onthe state of human settlements, which will continue during the afternoon and for the nextsix days.

COMMITTEE I: The Committee considering the Habitat Agenda is expected tomeet during the afternoon in Conference Room 1 (Hilton Convention Centre).

COMMITTEE II: The Committee holding hearings regarding the role andcontribution of local authorities, the private sector, parliamentarians, NGOs and otherpartners in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda is expected to meet during theafternoon in Conference Room 2 (Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall).