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Jan 23rd, 2004 - 15:12:47 |
Jerry Nwigwe
STATEMENT
BY
H.E. MR. GARBA MADAKI ALI
HON. MINISTER OF STATE FOR WORKS AND HOUSING
ON BEHALF OF THE NIGERIAN DELEGATION
AT THE
25th SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE OVERALL REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HABITAT AGENDA
NEW YORK, 8 JUNE, 2001
Mr. President,
On behalf of the Nigerian delegation, I wish to congratulate you and the bureau on your election to guide the proceedings of this Special Session.
We also wish to commend the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS-Habitat), Dr. (Mrs) Anna Tibaijuka, for the able manner in which the Special Session has been successfully convened. I assure you unreservedly of the cooperation and support of my delegation in the conduct of this session.
Mr. President,
My delegation recognizes and appreciates the fact that this special session is the result of joint collaboration with a range of International institutions, which worked tirelessly in ensuring that this session is held in order to discuss very important human settlement issues that affect humanity. As you may probably recall, our collective search and desire for better living conditions for all peoples of the world was a journey started in Vancouver, Canada, twenty five years ago with a follow-up of Habitat II Conference held in 1996 at Istanbul, Turkey. The Habitat Agenda adopted by over 171 governments including Nigeria provided a roadmap to resolving the problems of a fast urbanizing world, setting out approaches and strategies towards the achievement of sustainable development of the world's urban areas.
Five years after the Habitat II Conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey, it is indeed very appropriate for member states to meet once again to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations and strategies adopted at that Conference to guide the development of our human settlements. This Special Session is, therefore, an apt occasion for us to see whether the vision of the Habitat Agenda has been realized, how much work has been, and still needs to be done in making the cities of the third Millennium livable and sustainable. We must therefore remind ourselves now and again our responsibility to ensure that our children and wards inherit cities safe with all basic facilities and free of fear.
The dawn of the 21st Century found Nigeria with an estimated urban population of more than 40% coupled with very high urban growth rate, which is expected to raise urban population to about 65% by the year 2025. The implications of such rapid urban growth are often manifested in increased poverty, environmental degradation, traffic congestion, housing overcrowding, crime and homelessness. In addition, Africa as a continent is still categorized as the least urbanized since only 35% of its people live in urban areas. However, with an urbanization rate of 5% per annum, the continent has recorded the fastest urban growth rate in human history. It is estimated that by the year 2020, 52% of the continent's population will be living in cities.
Since Istanbul, Nigeria has made serious efforts to achieve the objectives of the Habitat Agenda. In its latest initiative at promoting effective and responsive human settlements management, the Government of Nigeria in collaboration with UNCHS (Habitat) launched in Abuja the Global Campaign for Good Urban Governance in April this year. The Campaign in the main, underscored our will and commitment to democracy and entrenchment of the principles and ideals of accountable governance to the people of Nigeria, and indeed Africa.
Mr. President,
The greatest challenge to sustainable human settlements development between now and 2015 is how to provide adequate shelter for all in the face of increasing world population that would reside in the cities. This challenge was the subject of the workshop held in tandem with the launching of the Global Campaign for Good Urban Governance in Abuja. The Workshop highlighted emerging issues in human settlements, which cannot be ignored if meaningful progress must be made. These include:
· Urban security and safety;
· Partnership, advocacy, participation, transparency and accountability;
· Empowerment of youth, women and the urban poor in urban governance;
· Decentralization, poverty eradication; and
· Capacity building for Local Governments and Civil Society Organizations.
It is therefore crucial that favourable external environment, supportive of developing countries' programmes to implement the Habitat Agenda on Human Settlement, be put in place. In this regard, urgent action should be taken by the developed countries, which have not yet done so, to achieve the internationally agreed target of the official development assistance (ODA). It is also important that the international community should address the critical issue of debt burden facing developing countries in order to make more resources available for the implementation of Human Settlement programmes in their respective countries. Equally important is the need to improve the finances and strengthen the UNCHS-Habitat so as to enable it to perform its functions effectively.
In conclusion, Mr. President, the emergence of "inclusive cities" as being contemplated will depend to a great extent on the outcome of consultations and negotiations such as the one we have embarked on during this Special Session particularly as we consider the Declaration on "Cities and other Human Settlements in the new Millennium". My delegation is looking forward to constructive and fruitful deliberations in the course of this session. We are hopeful that the deliberations of the meeting will provide additional impetus to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda for the benefit of humanity.
Thank You.
Jan 9th, 2004 - 14:09:28 |
Jerry Nwigwe
Commission on Sustainable Development, 12th Session
(CSD-12) -- New York, 14-30 April 2004
The Bureau Members
H.E. Minister B¸rge Brende,
Chairman (Norway)
Please click here for information about H.E. Minister Brende
_________________________________
Ambassador Bruno Stagno Ugarte
Vice Chair (Costa Rica)
Ambassador Bruno Stagno was re-elected to the Bureau for CSD-12, having previously served as Vice-Chairman on the Bureau of CSD-11. He was appointed New Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in September 2002. Prior to his current appointment, Amb. Stagno was an Adviser in the Costa Rica Legislative Assembly. Amb. Stagno was also a Professor at the University of Costa Rica, School of Political Science. Between 1998 and 2000, he was Chef de Cabinet of the Minister at the Ministry of External Relations and Worship of Costa Rica and from 1994 to 1998 served as Consul-General and Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of Costa Rica in France. Amb. Stagno has been an active member of several international bodies, including the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. He has participated as a representative in meetings of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Amb. Stagno was a delegate at the Bureau International des Expositions and at the twenty-ninth session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference. He holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Princeton University, a Master's Degree in Political Science from the Sorbonne, and obtained his Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service - international relations and comparative studies from Georgetown University.
_________________________________
Mr. Toru Shimizu
Vice Chair (Japan)
Mr. Toru Shimizu joined the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in 2002 as First Secretary. Before being posted to the Japanese Mission, he was Deputy director of the Latin American Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. From March 1998 to January 2001, he was Deputy Director of the Global Environment Division of the same Ministry, during which time he participated in a number of negotiations on climate change as well as on other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). He also served in the Technical Cooperation Division and, as Assistant Director, the Division responsible for the Association of South-East Asian Nations from 1993 to 1998, after being posted to the Embassy of Japan in Spain from 1991 to 1993. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Law from Kyoto University.
_________________________________
Mr. Bolus Paul Zom Lolo
Vice Chair (Nigeria)
Mr. Bulus Paul Zom Lolo has been in the Nigerian Foreign Service since he left college. In March 2002, he assumed duties in New York as Minister. Prior to New York, he served as Special Assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Abuja, Nigeria from July 1999 to 2001. Thereafter, Mr. Lolo worked in the West Africa Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from March 2001 until his assignment to New York in 2002. From April 1992 to February 1998, he was posted at the Embassy of Nigeria in Dublin, Ireland where he was in charge of the Economic/Commercial section. Other diplomatic postings include Ottawa, Canada (1982-1983) and, Cotonou, Republic of Benin (1985-1988). In addition, as member of the Nigerian delegation, Mr. Lolo has participated in many international meetings, including different sessions of the General Assembly in 1988, 1989, 1990, 2000, OAU and ECOWAS.
Mr. Lolo holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and a Master of Philosophy in Peace Studies from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
_________________________________
Ms. Eva Tomiè
Vice Chair (Slovenia)
Ms. Eva Tomiè is Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations. Before being posted to New York in June 2003 she served as Head of Human Rights Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia. From June 2000 to August 2001 Ms. Tomiè served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe in Montenegro, heading the Council of Europe Office in Podgorica with the task of offering assistance to the democratization process of Montenegro. Prior to that she was Head of Human Rights Division at the Foreign Ministry in Ljubljana. In that capacity she participated in a number of international conferences and events, among them the annual Commission on Human Rights meetings in Geneva and at the Special Session on Children, 2002 in New York. She also was member of the delegation of Slovenia at the diplomatic conference in 1998 in Rome for the adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Her first posting was at the Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations in New York from 1993 to 1997 with primary responsibilities in the area of human rights. She joined the Foreign Ministry of Slovenia in 1991. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Law from Ljubljana University.
Jan 9th, 2004 - 14:02:28 |
Jerry Nwigwe
In 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The Earth Summit, as UNCED was also known, was convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development. The assembled leaders signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity; endorsed the Rio Declaration and the Forest Principles; and adopted Agenda 21, a 300-page plan for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century. The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of UNCED; to monitor and report on implementation of the Earth Summit agreements at the local, national, regional and international levels. The CSD is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), with 53 members. A five-year review of Earth Summit progress took place in 1997 by the United Nations General Assembly meeting in special session, followed in 2002 by a ten-year review by the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Earth Summit + 5: The Special Session of the General Assembly held in June 1997 adopted a comprehensive document entitled Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 prepared by the Commission on Sustainable Development. It also adopted the programme of work of the Commission for 1998-2002.
The 10th session of the CSD in 2001 acted as the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the 10-year review process of Agenda 21. A total of four PrepComs, including a last one at a Ministerial level, held in Bali, Indonesia, paved the way to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August-4 September 2002. Over 22,000 people attended the Summit, including 100 heads of State and Government. Around 10,000 delegates, 8,000 representatives of Major Groups and 4,000 media were accredited to the Summit in Johannesburg.
The Summit reiterated the initial mandate and functions of the CSD as a high level forum on sustainable development, and deliberated to enhance its role so that it can respond to the new demands emerged from the WSSD Plan of Implementation.
At the 11th Session of the CSD (CSD-11, held in New York from 28 April-9 May 2003), decisions were made on the Commission's future programme and organization of work. It was agreed that the CSD's multi-year programme of work beyond 2003 would be organized on the basis of seven two-year cycles, with each cycle focusing on selected thematic clusters of issues.
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