Daily report for 10 June 1996

Delegates to Habitat II heard general statements and statements regarding the observanceof the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People during Plenary. TheWorking Groups and Drafting Groups of Committee I, charged with negotiating theHabitat Agenda, met throughout the day and into the night. Committee II held hearingsinvolving representatives of non-governmental and community-based organizations.

WORKING GROUP I

C. Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world: TURKEYintroduced a new 95quinquiens (livability of built environment) on qualityof life and democracy and a new 98quater (action by Governments,partnerships and stakeholders) on participation of stakeholders in planning.

In 126bis (effects of nuclear weapons testing), the US stated that this issueis inappropriate for discussion at this conference and proposed deleting the entireparagraph. The SOLOMON ISLANDS, the HOLY SEE and SYRIA objected. NEWZEALAND, on behalf of Pacific Island States, proposed an amendment which broadensthe scope to include all small Pacific islands affected by nuclear tests and appeals to thosecountries which conducted tests to consider providing assistance. To 128(g)(shelter requirements of internally displaced persons), JAPAN, supported by the G-77/CHINA, added "construction of temporary houses with basic facilities." The EU added"taking into account gender specific needs." The G-77/CHINA added a new128(l) regarding support for the Red Cross. The US introduced threesubparagraphs to 128(i) regarding land mines. Consultations were undertaken onspecific language.

Revisiting 72 (vulnerable groups), CANADA presented language from informalconsultations on causes of vulnerability and disadvantage with new references to: accessto resources; vulnerability and disadvantage caused mainly by circumstances; housingsector conditions and availability; "enforcement and effectiveness" of legal protection; anddisproportionately "adverse" environmental and health impacts. The informal groupremoved brackets from 72ter (refugees), adding a reference to loss of"security" resulting from inadequate shelter. References were added on "internally" (EU)"displaced persons" (G-77/CHINA).

D. Capacity-building and institutional development: The CHAIR introduced hisdraft of Section D. In 129 (economic and social development are interdependent),delegates added introductory references to "human settlements" (CHINA) and"environmental protection" (EU/US). The G-77/CHINA reintroduced references todecentralization and capacity-building. A US reference to protection of human rights,opposed by CHINA, was added in brackets. In 130bis (accountability,transparency and participation), the G-77/CHINA deleted "good governance." JAPANproposed replacing "democracy" with "sustainable human settlements development" butthe EU objected. The sentence was bracketed. INDONESIA replaced "guarantee" with"ensure" the right to take an active role in community affairs.

In 131(e) (delivery of public goods and services) and (i) (localauthorities’ performance), the US, supported by the EU and IRAN, added "gender-, age-and income-based" data collection. In 131(j) (local resources management), theHOLY SEE, supported by the EU, deleted "increase participation of women, children andyouth." The US proposed deleting 131(1) (information network), as it deals withUNCHS. The G-77/CHINA objected and added "transfer of technology." The EUrecommended it be deferred to Working Group II.

BOLIVIA added "popular participation" to the title of section 3: "Participation, civicengagement and good governance." The EU and US objected to an IRAN-proposeddeletion of "good governance." The EU suggested bracketing the reference in the title andin the chapeau and referring the issue to the High-Level Segment. BOLIVIA added areference to participation of community organizations in decision making and introduced anew 133(a)bis on legal recognition of organized communities. In133(i) (judicial redress), AUSTRALIA replaced "improving" with "effective"judicial and administrative channels. IRAN opposed an EU-proposed deletion of rights"as defined in national legislation." The reference is in brackets. The 133(i)ter(intergenerational interests), the US added "while strengthening families."CANADA added a new 133(i)quater on promoting the full potential ofyouth as key partners. In 134 (human settlements management), the EU inserted asentence regarding capacity building and added "effective" and efficient development.

At the CHAIR’s appeal, the US and the G-77/CHINA agreed to the EU’s earlier proposalthat delegates accept Section D as reformulated by the Chair. The Chair presented hisdraft text for Chapter III (Commitments) for consideration in an evening session.

WORKING GROUP II

F. Implementation and follow-up: Delegates considered the text sentence-by-sentence. In 158bis (national level implementation), the G-77/CHINAadded a sentence on coordination of national plans through partnerships with internationalorganizations and the UN system. Delegates accepted a sentence noting that governments"may wish to" coordinate their national plans of action through cooperation andpartnerships with UN organizations, which play an important role "in a number ofcountries."

In 159 (international level implementation), NGOs proposed that the UNCommission on Human Settlements (Commission) be a quadripartite body withrepresentatives from governments, the private sector, local authorities and NGOs. The EUproposed reducing the list of main actors for follow-up to all States and relevant UNbodies. The G-77/CHINA proposed that the main actors be all States, the UN and theGeneral Assembly (GA), which designated the Commission as the global policy forum onhuman settlements development in accordance with resolution 32/162. The US proposedthat the main actors be all States, the UN, as well as all relevant UN bodies, includingespecially the Commission according to its mandate and roles from all relevant UNGAresolutions. AUSTRALIA and CANADA proposed reference to ECOSOC. AUSTRALIAproposed an additional sentence referring to other actors in the UN system, as well as theprivate sector, local authorities and NGOs. The G-77/CHINA objected to references tolocal authorities and NGOs. The final text contains two sentences noting that the mainactors are all States, the GA, ECOSOC and, in particular, the Commission, in accordancewith GA resolution 32/162 and all other relevant resolutions, and that other relevant UNbodies also have a role to play in implementation.

The G-77/CHINA added a sentence noting that the UN Centre for Human Settlements(Centre) and all relevant UN agencies should take into account the Habitat Agenda. TheEU concurred, provided future references to the Centre be confined to three futureparagraphs. The US proposed noting that Centre action be "in the context of UN reformefforts," but agreed to place the text in "mental brackets," pending subsequent discussion.

In 161 (GA), the G-77/CHINA deleted language noting that the 1997 GA SpecialSession to review Agenda 21 should give attention to the issue of sustainabledevelopment. Delegates agreed to text mentioning reviews by UNGA 51 and 52, butplaced language on the Special Session in the final sentence.

In 163 (ECOSOC review), the G-77/CHINA proposed deleting references toECOSOC oversight on coordination of the GPA and review of implementation. The EU,supported by the US, AUSTRALIA and CANADA, proposed including a review of themandate of the Commission by ECOSOC. The G-77/CHINA said including this requestassumes that something should be done to the Commission. The EU said an ECOSOCreview cannot diminish the Commission’s responsibilities and past reviews havestrengthened other commissions. The G-77/CHINA proposed a review "with a view tostrengthening" the Commission. The US proposed "with a view to reorienting and, asnecessary, to strengthening," but KENYA and ZAMBIA objected. The EU bracketed thereference to the review.

In 166 (GA and ECOSOC), the US added references to "whereappropriate" and "within existing resources," but the G-77/CHINA objected. Thereferences were bracketed. The EU proposed a reference to the participation of financialand technical institutions. In 168 (the Commission and the Center), theEU proposed replacing the existing paragraph with language on the functions and roles ofthe Commission, noting that the Commission should promote, review, monitor and assessprogress in implementing the goals of the Habitat Agenda. The G-77/CHINA said thecontents of the existing paragraph are not an enumeration of existing relations, but anunderstanding reached that the Commission must be strengthened. The ideas may berelocated, but must be retained because they represent the "heart of the matter." The USadded a reference noting that actions be consistent with ongoing UN reform. The G-77/CHINA said that the Conference should not be limited by a reform process that maytake many years.

IN THE DRAFTING GROUPS

Delegates in the Drafting Group on the Istanbul Declaration received a 14 paragraphredraft during the morning, and negotiated it throughout the afternoon and evening. ChairKazildeli (Turkey) was asked to redraft the introduction and a paragraph regarding recentUN Conferences. Additional paragraphs discussed dealt with the deterioration ofconditions and participation.

At the end of the Drafting Group of Working Group I’s morning and afternoon sessions,all outstanding text in the Preamble except 2ter (sustainable development) had beenresolved. The Group had reached paragraph 22ter in Chapter II (Goals andPrinciples) by 6:00 pm, up to which all text was resolved except the first parts of 13(commitments and principles) and 18 (various forms of the family).

IN THE CORRIDORS

Observers note that staff from the DPCSD in New York have been working closely withthe Habitat Secretariat in preparing drafts for the Chair of Working Group I. The initiativeachieved a breakthrough Monday when a text on capacity building was approved, for themost part, without amendments. Chair Kakakhel prompted the advance suggesting that hemight vacate the chair and leave Istanbul without an agreed document. While somedelegates said they were keeping an open mind about the Chair’s draft on Commitments, itis expected that a number of politically sensitive issues will demand more time. Anobserver explained that the compilation of ideas on Commitments, including the issue ofoccupied territories, has been conducted without the advantage of gauging the politicaltemperature surrounding certain issues.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

PLENARY: The Plenary will meet during the morning and afternoon in thePlenary Hall to hear statements on the state of human settlements.

WORKING GROUP I: The Working Group is expected to meet during themorning, afternoon and evening in Conference Room 1.

WORKING GROUP II: The Working Group is expected to meet during themorning and afternoon in Conference Room 3.

DRAFTING GROUPS: The Drafting Group on the Istanbul Declaration isexpected to meet during the morning in Conference Room D. The Drafting Group onLand Mines is expected to meet during the morning in Conference Room B.

COMMITTEE II: The Committee is expected to meet in Conference Room 2during the morning and afternoon to hold hearings involving representatives of the HabitatDialogues for the 21st Century and of the Forum on Human Solidarity.