UNITED NATIONS	HS
	Commission on Human Settlements	Distr. LIMITED HS/C/17/L.1/Add.5 8 May 1999 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Seventeenth session
Nairobi, 5-14 May 1999
Agenda item 15

1. The Commission considered agenda item 8 at its 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th plenary meetings, on 4, 5 and 7 May 1999. In its deliberations, it had before it the report of the Executive Director on cooperation with partners (HS/C/17/7).

2. In his policy statement at the opening of the session, the Acting Executive Director said that the future influence and success of the Centre would depend on the degree to which it built productive relationships with its partners. Among those new important partners were local authorities, as their contribution was vital to successful human settlements development and to the Centre's work. Local authorities had an important role in providing solutions to local environmental and developmental issues and were at the forefront of action in that regard. The revitalized UNCHS (Habitat) should therefore facilitate and encourage the role of local authorities in decision-making at the city level and in improving urban management and governance practices. Quoting the Secretary-General, he said that the United Nations looked forward to working more closely with local authorities in reducing the fear and squalor in which so many city-dwellers resided and in giving people everywhere a voice and a choice in decisions that affected their daily lives.

3. He stressed the importance of parliamentarians as the elected representatives in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, in mobilizing national resources for that purpose and as partners in the work of the Centre. He went on to announce the Centre's plans to develop a law unit on human settlements and local self-government, located in UNCHS (Habitat).

4. He drew attention to the need for partnerships with non-governmental, women's and youth organizations, stressing the importance of partnerships with the private sector and trade unions, as well as the need to strengthen links with human settlements professionals and researchers and with universities.

5. All delegations that spoke on the agenda item underscored the importance of partnerships between national Governments and local governments, and with non-governmental organizations and other organizations of civil society, for the successful implementation of the Habitat Agenda. Many delegations cited specific examples of how local authorities and non-governmental organizations were being strengthened and actively involved in policies and programmes to achieve adequate shelter and sustainable human settlements development in their respective countries. In that respect, several delegations also made specific references to their implementation of decentralization policies, as recommended in the Habitat Agenda. One delegation described the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat as a model example of the work of UNCHS (Habitat) partners, while another specifically expressed support for the work on the world charter of local self-government.
 
6. Many delegations also emphasized that a strong partnership between UNCHS (Habitat) and local authorities, non-governmental organizations and other actors in civil society was vital to the success of the Centre's activities to implement the Habitat Agenda. Several delegations expressed specific support for a closer partnership between the Commission and local authorities and their international associations.
 
7. The representative of the World Associations of Cities and Local Authorities Coordination (WACLAC) emphasized that WACLAC and its member associations wished to establish an effective partnership with UNCHS (Habitat) and with the Commission, and expressed the hope that proposals for inclusion of local authorities would be accepted. He further expressed his support for the work programme and the work on the World Charter of Local Self-Government. The representative of the International Union of Local Authorities welcomed the opportunity to have a direct dialogue with central Governments at the Commission sessions.

8. The representative of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat welcomed the new work programme of the Centre, especially the legislative components, as he believed that it reflected the Global Parliamentarians' own priorities in regard to adequate shelter. The representative of the Habitat International Coalition emphasized the need for genuine partnership between the Centre and non-governmental organizations.

 (to be completed)