Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
UN-Habitat is pleased to address this first preparatory committee meeting for the Third
International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to be held in Samoa in
September this year.
UN-Habitat is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and
environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate
shelter for all. There is firm evidence that this overall mandate is also consistent with
SIDS priorities, since these countries are facing high urbanization rates and face
increasing land scarcity due to, not only climate change, but also from urban sprawling,
new public infrastructures and private housing.
The rapidly increasing importance of cities places the process of urbanization among the
most significant global trends of this twenty-first century, including for the small island
states. The data relates to the current demographic changes to increasing densification
and stresses the need for proper planning.
There are now five cities in the Caribbean with a population exceeding one million
inhabitants. Most cities and other human settlements in SIDS are growing rapidly, and
inhabitants are becoming more demanding with regard to quantity and quality of
infrastructures, services and opportunities.
The Rio+20 final declaration did stress specific elements related to cities and human
settlements. The paragraph 137 of the document states: "We recognize that
partnerships among cities and communities play an important role in promoting
sustainable development. In this regard, we stress the need to strengthen existing
cooperation mechanisms or platforms, partnership arrangements and other
implementation tools to advance the coordinated implementation of the UN-Habitat
Agenda with active involvement of all relevant UN entities and with the overall aim of
achieving sustainable urban development. We further recognize the continuing need for
adequate and predictable financial contributions to the UN Habitat and Human
Settlements Foundation so as to ensure timely, effective and concrete global
implementation of the Habitat Agenda.”
The Rio+20 Declaration also stated that if well-planned and developed, cities could
promote economically, socially and environmentally sustainable societies including
through integrated planning and management approaches.
Water and sanitation, waste management, mobility, energy and jobs are areas that have
to be tackled at both national and city levels, if we want the solutions to be sustainable
and well connected to the citizens’ needs. And as a background for a sustainable
urbanization, there is a real need for sound urban planning and design, good urban
legislation and governance, and efficient urban economy.
Since natural partners for UN-Habitat are both national and local authorities, we shall
not neglect the latter through this partnership building process, which is the overall
conference theme - “the sustainable development of small island developing States
through genuine and durable partnerships”. UN-Habitat strongly supports this focus on
current realities facing SIDS, at all government levels.
We all know than in several countries, dealing with drinking water, waste management,
and job creation is a matter embedded in local authorities mandate. UN-Habitat is
willing to work not only with national, but also with local governments and communities
and to foster stronger relationships between them. National Urban Policy has to be
defined or updated and applied in several countries, in order to draft a new urban
agenda that recognizes the ever-changing dynamics of human civilization.
Equally, cities are key partners when the time comes to do something tangible in terms
of preventing disasters and reducing risks. Specific investments and actions shall be
undertaken and managed at local level, in conjunction with regional and national
stakeholders.
For UN-Habitat, sustainable development lies in sustainable urbanization and human
settlements. We believe that this is topic deserves close attention in outcome
documents and upcoming declarations, resolutions and action plans.
We look forward to further our cooperation with all SIDS member states and other key
partners.