UNITED NATIONS	HS
	Commission on Human Settlements	Distr. LIMITED HS/C/17/L.1/Add.12 11 May 1999 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

1. The high-level segment comprised four meetings, on 5,6 and 7 May 1999, and its discussions focused on the following three main issues: first, the report of the United Nations Task Force on Environment and Human Settlements, including the ongoing revitalization and restructuring of UNCHS (Habitat) (item 4 of the agenda); second, implementation of the Habitat Agenda (item 5 of the agenda); and, third, cooperation with partners, including cooperation with agencies and organizations within the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations outside the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations (items 8 and 11 (b) of the agenda).

2. There was general satisfaction with and strong support for the direction and progress of the reform and revitalization process, as well as the new strategic vision. Delegations welcomed the steps taken to reorganize the financial and administrative management and, in that context, referred to the ongoing reform of the United Nations system and to the Secretary-General's report on environment and human settlements, submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session.

3. Many delegations stressed the need for clear priorities and a clear relationship between work programme and budget and called for a limited number of core activities in support of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. In addition, many delegations expressed support for the new strategic focus on security of tenure and urban governance and voiced the hope that the revitalization of the Centre would facilitate attainment of an adequate and predictable financial base. Some delegations representing developing countries suggested that their countries also shared responsibility for the Centre's future financial security and pledged their financial support.

4. Many delegations supported the focus on urban development and the proposal that the Centre should be presented as the United Nations city agency. Several delegations, however, also voiced concern that such an emphasis could divert attention from and marginalize rural areas, villages and smaller towns.

5. While some delegations welcomed synergies and expanded cooperation and integration with UNEP, including sharing a common Executive Director, others said that there was a need to maintain the Centre as a strong independent entity with its own Executive Director.

6. All delegations underscored the importance of implementing the Habitat Agenda at the international, regional, national and local levels, citing specific new programmes and policy initiatives that they had undertaken within their countries to achieve the goals of adequate shelter and sustainable development. A large number emphasized that strengthened international cooperation was essential to the fulfilment of the recommendations of Istanbul, with many calling specifically for increased financial resources for that purpose. A number of delegations referred to activities and programmes of the Centre that were contributing towards sustainable human settlements, with many stating their expectation that a revitalized Habitat would be in a stronger position to play its coordinating and focal point role in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

7. While many delegations agreed on the urgent need to address the challenge of urbanization as a priority, a number also cautioned that efforts to that end should not be carried out at the expense of policies to improve rural settlements and develop rural areas, with several delegations explicitly requesting the Centre not to reduce its attention to rural settlements improvement in moving the Habitat Agenda forward.

8. Several delegations affirmed their support for the decentralization of the Centre's activities into regions as a strategy for bringing direct assistance closer to member States and other partners in implementing the Habitat Agenda, while others expressed the opinion that the regionalization policy was still uneven in terms of the resulting benefits to the various regions.

9. While pointing out that peace was a prerequisite for development, a number of delegations stated that, in recent years, armed conflict had exacted - and was continuing to exact - a heavy toll on human settlements and human settlements development and several called on the Centre to provide reconstruction assistance to countries and regions afflicted by armed conflict and natural and man-made disasters.

10. All delegations underscored the importance of partners and partnerships between national 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 cited 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.

11. Many delegations also emphasized that a strong partnership between UNCHS (Habitat) and local authorities, non-governmental organizations and others in civil society was vital to the success of the Centre's implementation of the Habitat Agenda. Several delegations also expressed specific support for a closer partnership between the Commission and local authorities and their international associations.

12. The representative of WACLAC emphasized that WACLAC and its member associations wished to establish an effective partnership with UNCHS (Habitat) and the Commission, and expressed the hope that proposals for the inclusion of local authorities in the work of the Commission 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 for a direct dialogue with central Governments at the Commission sessions.

13. The representative of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat commended the new work programme of the Centre, especially the legislative components, as he believed 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.

14. Many delegations referred to the cooperation between UNEP and the Centre and a number stressed the importance of developing synergies and closer cooperation between the two bodies, with most also underscoring that they should remain separate and distinct entities. In addition, several delegations also called for close cooperation between the Centre and UNDP and the World Bank in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. A number of delegations also mentioned the assistance they were receiving from programmes and projects that the Centre was implementing in cooperation with other United Nations agencies. Several delegations specifically welcomed the launching of the UNCHS-World Bank’s Cities Initiative/Cities Alliance, while others drew attention to the Sustainable Cities Programme and the Urban Management Programme as examples of the Centre’s excellent cooperation with UNEP and UNDP, respectively.

15. The representative of the World Bank, while referring to the new partnership with UNCHS (Habitat), emphasized that it tallied well with the Centre’s new strategic vision and the Bank’s new comprehensive development framework. The representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights underscored the Centre’s cooperation with the Office on the right to adequate housing and on a proposed United Nations housing rights programme, while the representative of ECA welcomed the Centre’s new Regional Office for Africa and the Arab States, saying that he looked forward to increased cooperation. The representative of UNESCO outlined that organization's work in the area of governance, while the representative of UNDP made a statement on the cooperation between his organization and the Centre.