The problems of the
world's cities are likely to
occupy centrestage at
the second UN conference
on human settlements
in Istanbul, Turkey, this
June. Some analysts,
however, doubt whether
urban issues should assume such an
important role at the summit. "For whom
are we building cities?" questions Sujit
Chowdhury, chairperson of the World
IYouth Leadership Training Summit at
Canada's York University. "The benefits of
traditional urban assistance programmes,
will reach only 10 per cent of the people,"
he argues. The World Bank (WB) also agrees with the above line of thinking and
believes in combating urban poverty by
perking up rural development. Considering
the imminent breakdown of infrastructure
that Third World cities like Karachi and
Mexico City are facing. the subject of
urban decay will certainly grab most of the
attention at the summit.
The Midrand declaration issued recently at
the end of the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)-IX
meet in South Africa. seams to appease
the rich and the poor nations of the
world. Reluctant developed countries have
agreed to the UNCTAD playing a role in
strengthening its coordination with the
World Trade Organization (WTO) and other
multilateral institutions.
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