UN-HABITAT's CONTRIBUTION TO WSSD

Follow-up

Only time will tell whether WSSD has been a real success. As far as UN-HABITAT is concerned, initial assessment indicates that the Habitat Agenda has done quite well in the WSSD process, considering the generally acknowledged limitations of this process. UN-HABITAT made good use of the worldwide momentum created by the WSSD process, of the worldwide sense of urgency to address sustainable devel-opment in all its dimensions, and of the heightened spirit of partnership that emerged. Accordingly, UN-HABITAT and its partners successfully used the WSSD process to make significant progress in three areas:

Focusing more sharply on what must be done in human settlements policies to achieve sustainable de-velopment. This has resulted in the policy framework of “Sustainable Urbanization” developed, agreed, published, and applied to partnership implementation agreements.
Building awareness of the important role of cities and other human settlements for sustainable develop-ment. This has resulted in enhanced recognition of the issue globally and among Habitat Agenda part-ners who are using “Sustainable Urbanization” as a unifying framework for joint normative and opera-tional activities.
Using the momentum, heightened interest in sustainable development and partnership spirit to develop implementation initiatives, complete with concrete work plans, agreed responsibilities, and funding commitments. This has resulted in the “Coalition for Sustainable Urbanization” and its component ini-tiatives (e.g. the Water for Asian Cities Programme).

UN-HABITAT’s participation in the WSSD went according to a plan developed, refined and im-plemented over the eight months preparatory period in close and systematic collaboration between UN-HABITAT’s senior management and professional staff, the Committee of Permanent Representatives to UN-HABITAT, and the full range of Habitat Agenda partners. Follow-up, in broad terms, is part of a simi-lar broad-based plan with three basic components:

Follow-up on the WSSD political outcome for UN-HABITAT, especially the recognition of “adequate shelter” as a thematic priority and “framework for action” at par with the other “WEHAB” areas (para-graph 18 of the Johannesburg Declaration);
Administrative and managerial follow-up to enable UN-HABITAT fulfil its WSSD mandates and com-mitments, especially with respect to institutional structures and capacities; and
Operational follow-up, including the further development and implementation of the “Coalition for Sus-tainable Urbanisation” and its component initiatives.

Regarding political follow-up, the outcome of WSSD has been reported to the UN-HABITAT Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) one week after the Johannesburg event. The CPR in turn has communicated to the Permanent Representatives in New York the significance of including, in para-graph 18 of the Political Declaration, “adequate shelter” alongside the other “WEHAB” thematic priority areas. In its communication, the CPR suggests specific language for any GA resolution on UN-HABITAT so as to recognize the importance of urbanization issues such as adequate shelter, water and sanitation for the achievement of sustainable development. Also, the Executive Director has taken up the issue in her speech to the 57th Session of the General Assembly on UN-HABITAT and the Secretariat has addressed the issue in WSSD follow-up arrangements and mechanisms such as the “open ended working group” estab-lished by the High Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) and the “task group” formed within the Pro-gramme Group of the UN Development Group (UNDG). Further, UN-HABITAT uses the WSSD outcome to update its work under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), such as Target 10 on water and sani-tation.

Regarding administrative and managerial follow-up to facilitate UN-HABITAT’s WSSD mandates and commitments, the Executive Director has taken important decisions, including the following:

Signing of a memorandum of understanding with UNDP to place UN-HABITAT officers in UNDP country offices to ensure that issues of slum upgrading, adequate shelter and sustainable urbanization will be better incorporated and coordinated in macro-economic planning and local investment frame-works such as the Poverty Reduction strategy Papers (PRSPs) and the Country Development Frame-works (CDFs);
Establishment of a new sub-programme in the UN-HABITAT work programme to revive the Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation as per GA resolution 56/206. Donors have provided grants to sup-port preparatory activities;
Establishment of a fully fledged Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Branch, with eight professionals, to rise to the challenge of delivering the water and sanitation targets agreed in Johannesburg;
Creation of a Water and Sanitation Trust Fund, with an initial UN-HABITAT investment of $1 million, to make available quick disbursing funds in the area of water and sanitation.

Regarding operational follow-up, the component initiatives of the “Coalition for Sustainable Ur-banization” are being developed further and implemented. New partners and new initiatives are joining the Coalition. Synergy and cohesion under the unifying framework of “Sustainable Urbanization” will be re-viewed in the context of the World Urban Forum. Through this the concept of “Sustainable Urbanisation” is being further developed enabling UN-HABITAT and its partners to enhance over time their important con-tribution to socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable development. Following are some ex-amples:

Local Capacities for Global Agendas - UN-HABITAT and UNEP are continuing to develop local ca-pacities for a two-way link between local development priorities and opportunities, and the global norms established in UN-HABITAT’s global campaigns (e.g. participation, accountability, security) and UNEP’s environmental conventions (e.g. climate change, land-based marine pollution, biodiversity). Strategies are being developed with the international Local Government community (through WACLAC and UNACLA) in international meetings such as the WUF and the annual partners meeting of the Sustainable Cities Programme.
Partnership for Local Capacity Development – This partnership implementation commitment is the primary joint instrument of UN-HABITAT and the international Local Government community (through WACLAC and UNACLA) to promote local capacity development. It builds on the joint achievements on city to city cooperation (C2C) in response to resolution 18/10 and 18/11 of the Com-mission on Human Settlements that were endorsed at I+5, the World Urban Forum (WUF), and the Lo-cal Government Session of WSSD. C2C was the theme of the 2002 World Habitat Day and will it be addressed in the GC-19 dialogue on “Decentralisation and Local Authorities Development”.
Demonstrating Local Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) – Major donors are now com-mitted to support the new Phase of the joint UN-HABITAT/UNEP Sustainable Cities Programme, de-signed to broaden EPM demonstrations undertaken by local authorities and their local partners. Through expanded and more systematic collaboration with related international initiatives such as the UNDP Public-Private Partnership for the Urban Environment (PPPUE) and the ILO Advisory Support Information Services and Training (ASIST) the Programme is addressing new issues such as sustainable mobility and improved basic urban services for the poor and marginalised groups.
National capacities for up-scaling Local Agenda 21 demonstrations - Based on the large number of joint Local Agenda 21 demonstrations, UN-HABITAT and UNEP are now documenting lessons of ex-perience in collaboration with local and central governments and national urban training institutions. This is aimed at building national capacities for effectively replicating the demonstration activities and for multiplying the positive impact of the investments made in connection with these demonstrations.
Learning from Best Practices and Good Policies in Support of Sustainable Urbanisation - Two new partners have joined this partnership, ComHabitat and the Universal Forum of Cultures - Barcelona 2004. ComHabitat increases the outreach of the partnership to policy makers and grassroots leaders in 54 Commonwealth countries while the Universal Forum on Cultures - Barcelona 2004 help identify and document new practices and emerging policy responses as well as offer new opportunities for bringing lessons learned to the attention of the general public.
Water for Asian Cities – UN-HABITAT is establishing strategic partnerships with the World Bank and the regional development banks, promoting pro-poor investments in water and sanitation in developing country cities to support the implementation of WSSD commitments and achievement of the Millen-nium Development Goals (MDGs). These partnerships are expected to lead to significant new invest-ments through the regional programmes of UN-HABITAT, the Water for African Cities Programme and the Water for Asian Cities Programme (to be launched in March 2003 in Osaka). UN-HABITAT is also collaborating with the World Bank-Netherlands Water Partnership (BNWP) to develop a pro-poor governance framework in the area of water and sanitation. Further, collaboration is under way with the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) of the World Bank and its partners in the area of small-scale service providers, and with the World Bank Institute on “Water Journalism”.
Partnership for Sustainable African Cities – This partnership promotes the sharing of experience and know-how for broad-based planning and management of African Cities. Following the launch of the Programme at WSSD, sustainable urbanisation has been included in the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) with UN-HABITAT as the task manager. A concrete follow-up to the Johan-nesburg commitments at the national level was the launch of South Africa Cities Network, on the 2002 World Habitat Day. To further operationalize the Programme, preparations are underway to convene a ministerial meeting during the GC-19.
Partnership for Managing HIV/AIDS at the Local Level - Adequate shelter for HIV/AIDS orphans is being promoted by a Rockefeller Foundation - UN-HABITAT partnership. UNDP and UN-HABITAT have launched a new UMP partnership on HIV/AIDS in eight selected cities throughout the world. There is also a new partnership with SAfAIDS (Southern Africa AIDS Information and Dissemination Services, Harare) in Blantyre, Malawi, and with UN-AMICAALL (Alliance of Mayors Initiatives for Community Action on Aids at the Local Level) for the Launch of National Chapters of the Alliance of Mayors on HIV/AIDS in Kenya and Malawi
Weihai Conference on Sustainable Urbanisation Strategies – This initiative of UN-HABITAT, the Chi-nese Ministry of Construction and the city of Weihai is a direct follow-up to WSSD and will support in-ternational exchange of experiences on sustainable urbanisation strategies, including the implementa-tion of the “Water for Asian Cities Programme”. It will take place in September 2003.
Future World Urban Forums in Europe, America and Asia – The World Urban Forum (WUF) has an important role to play in the follow-up to WSSD by reviewing progress of the partnership initiatives and ensuring synergy and cohesion under the unifying framework of “Sustainable Urbanization”. The WUF will be held once every two years. The first meeting of the WUF was held in Africa (Nairobi, 2002), the second will be held in Europe (Barcelona, 2004), the third in America (Vancouver, 2006), and discussions are under way for holding the fourth WUF in Asia.