Africa: Urban Slum Dwellers worldwide nearing One Billion by UN-Habitat / AllAfrica 4:16pm 7th Oct, 2008   7 October 2008    The number of urban slum-dwellers worldwide has broken the one billion mark, making it clear that the urbanization of poverty is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing development today, executive director of UN-Habitat, has said.    Mrs Anna Tibaijuka said in a televised message to mark the World Habitat Day that "no longer can we turn a blind eye to the plight of slum-dwellers living in life-threatening conditions. Nor can we hide from the fact that urban poverty and urban inequalities are on the rise around the world, in developed and developing countries alike.    "We have both a moral and an ethical responsibility to make our cities more harmonious by making them more inclusive. It is a societal imperative that we fight urban poverty and squalor if we are to secure urban safety and security," she said.    Mrs Tibaijuka stated that it was no coincidence that climate change is now coming to the forefront of international debate at the same time and at virtually the same pace as the world becomes urbanised.    She said cities consume upwards of 75 per cent of all energy and contribute to an equally substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions, noting that they must therefore, be an integral part of any mitigation efforts.    "Reducing cities'' contribution to climate change and vulnerability to the effects thereof, must be viewed as a historical opportunity to improve the living conditions of all men and women, including the most vulnerable sectors of our urban populations. Both adaptation and mitigation efforts require improved land-use planning, more robust infrastructure and smarter construction. I can think of no better initiative than to combine these efforts to make our cities and towns greener, safer and more equitable", Mrs Tibaijuka said.    Oct 2008    Angola marks global celebration of World Habitat Day 2008.    Mrs. Tibaijuka called on the Angolan authorities to allocate 10 percent of their oil income to upgrade their towns, cities and villages for the benefit all, especially the poorest of the poor and with respect for the human rights of all. She said she was pleased that the Angolan authorities were using the occason of World Habitat Day to announce a series of important social housing initiatives.    “We commend you Mr. President and Honourable Ministers, for the importance that the Government of Angola attaches, among other urgent priorities, to the delivery of social housing and basic services, like water and energy for Angolan families,” she said in her keynote address.    In her address, Mrs. Tibaijuka pledged UN-HABITAT’s support for the new Angola Slum Upgrading Programme and the new National Social Housing Programme.    “We are here to help you as you requested, especially with some of the technical and institutional aspects of this process. And in taking up your request, UN-HABITAT is confident that the Government of Angola will ensure with us that this excellent rehabilitation programme will forge ahead on the basis of equity, fairness and in full respect for human rights – especially for the poorest of the poor and people living in urban slums,” she said. “I believe it will also take into account the special challenges and needs of women, and the children they support.”    She cited at the length the lessons to be shared on World Habitat Day. These included the bad arising from the global mortgage finance crisis in the developed world, to China’s exemplary urban modernisation plan.    “We in the United Nations system have a responsibility to remind all countries, whether rich or poor, that they are not immune from the impacts of poverty. And that is why, as we all worry how the global financial crisis will hit us as ordinary people, we must remind all again that investment in basic urban services and adequate shelter is essential. When we get it right we derive economic, social and health benefits for all,” she added.    “Mr. President, I do not have to tell you that 85 percent of the Angolan population representing some 7.5 million of this country’s growing number of urban dwellers live in slum conditions. For a country rich in natural resources, expecially oil, we are sure that the means are there to address these needs now that this country has earned its rightful place as a country at peace,” Mrs. Tibaijuka said. Let me therefore make a proposal for your consideration: Make this day historic by allocating just 10 percent of the country’s oil revenue for the delivery of harmonious cities and towns in this country!”.    The Exeuctive Director also conferred the World Habitat Day awards. She said it was not by coincidence that this year for the first time, the highest award conferred by the United Nations system in this field – the Habitat Scroll of Honour Special Citation – went not to an outstanding individual, but to a Chinese city, Nanjing. At the next level, the cities of Shaoxing and Zhangjiagang were given the Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, along with the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the Tatarstan city of Bugulma, in the Russian Federation, and Ciudad Juarez a major Mexican city on the United States border. Visit the related web page
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