urban development as an imperative for a secured future for the growing
world urban population at the Third United Nations Conference on Housing
and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador.
global event, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde
Fashola , said such global action had become an increasingly urgent
necessity if the 21st Century was to provide a secure and sustainable way
of life for the growing global population.
imperative to plan for people-centered societies and sustainable cities is
no longer a luxury, but an increasing urgent necessity if the 21stCentury
is to provide a secure and sustainable way of life for the growing global
population”.Acknowledging that it would not be easy to embark on such development given
the rapid growing urban population, Fashola, who noted that there were
inherent opportunities in the challenges of urbanization, added that with
political will and with the New Urban Agenda as blueprint, the world could
secure a sustainable future.
The Minister declared, “It will not be an easy task, neither will the
turn-around come quickly, but we strongly believe that through strengthened
political will and intelligent planning, we can improve the lives of
millions with the New Urban Agenda as our blueprint and road-map to a
sustainable future”.
Calling for the strengthening of UN-Habitat “as the focal point for its
effective implementation and review”, Fashola added, “We must collectively
agree on the common principles that will guide our response to the
challenges facing human settlements and ensure that we embark on a path of
sustainable urbanization over the next two decades, as aptly captured in
the New Urban Agenda”.
The Minister, who noted that the decisions arrived at the Ecuador
Conference would have long-term consequences for cities, and their
dwellers, as well as for the wider issues of human sustainability and the
quality of life of future generations, added “Indeed, as the world waits in
anticipation for the outcome of this landmark Conference, we cannot afford
to fail our Nations. We cannot afford to fail our peoples. In fact, we must
not fail the future generation”.
On the benefits and opportunities derivable from functional and sustainable
urban centres, Fashola, who said they were already evident, pointed out
that as crucial engines of growth for the economy and concentrations of
activity and places of connectivity, creativity and innovation, “cities
offer a multiplier effect for the development of their surrounding areas”.
“Urbanization can help to jump-start industrialization and manufacturing,
which in turn can result in a host of other productive and economic
development processes. The occurring rapid urbanization must therefore be
exploited to unlock its economic potentials, and provide a solution for
rapid transformation of our urban centres”, the Minister said.
According to him, “This Habitat lll Conference presents this precise
opportunity. It is for us a reminder, and a call to action on our
obligations if our cities are to be properly positioned to play a
meaningful role in achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the
Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and other internationally agreed
instruments aimed at creating productive lives for the growing number of
urban dwellers”.
“Certainly, we owe humanity a responsibility to significantly step-up
political commitments globally if we are to ensure a better quality of life
– one that is dignified and productive- not only for all our citizens
today, but especially for the generations to come, for whom we are merely
holding the earth in trust”, he said.
Fashola said nations must take bold and decisive measures to implement the
provisions of the New Urban Agenda at all levels, and mobilize commitments
for institutional and attitudinal changes backed by innovative funding
arrangements adding that in order to record success the Private Sector and
development assistance must be tapped into.
This, he said, was necessary in order to provide capacity, finance and
technology to address in a comprehensive manner the critical challenges of
homelessness, growing poverty, social exclusion, urban sprawl, lack of
basic infrastructure and services, environmental degradation, increased
vulnerability to disasters and the food and energy crises.
The Minister said in order to make the programme both inclusive and
comprehensive, special provision must also be made for those with
disabilities, women and youth in the human settlements policies through
