Date: 03/02/2005
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: African Ministers Conference on Housing and Urban Development
Address by Deputy President Jacob Zuma at the African Ministers Conference on Housing and Urban Development (AMCHUD), International Convention Centre, Durban
3 February 2005
The Honourable South African Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu, All Ministers of Housing and Urban Development from the continent, The Executive Director of the United Nations Habitat, The Commissioner of Social Affairs of the African Union, Distinguished Guests,
Let me begin by joining Mayor Obed Mlaba in welcoming all our esteemed guests to the country, on behalf of our people and government.
It is an honour and privilege to address this first ever Conference of African Ministers on Housing and Urban Development, focusing on the enormous challenge of urbanisation and human settlements.
We are hosting you in our country during an important year, during which we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, which articulated the minimum demands of the people of South Africa, and a vision of the kind of society we wanted to see emerge after liberation.
Among the clauses in the Charter is one that says "There shall be houses, security and comfort." It is this clause that should guide us in working towards total freedom of our peoples, where all will have access to decent shelter and comfort.
The conference clearly indicates the political will of African countries to address this challenge, and to put issues of sustainable urbanisation and development at the centre of our business as various African governments.
At the inaugural summit in Durban in July 2002, African governments committed themselves to provide a secure and stable continent within which a long-term development agenda can be pursued.
They committed themselves to extricate Africa from underdevelopment and suffering, and to improve the quality of life of all the African peoples.
The need to create stable and decent human settlements in the continent falls within that broad agenda of eradicating poverty, and ending economic marginalisation and environmental degradation.
We are hopeful that the outcome of this important conference will reflect a common African position on shelter and urbanisation, and will emphasise the question of ensuring decent and habitable housing for all in the continent.
In the deliberations, delegates will no doubt also be informed by the discussions that have taken place before, focusing on sustainable development.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in August 2002, acknowledged that "there cannot be sustainable development without, sustainable urbanisation".
It further reaffirmed the commitments agreed upon in Rio de Janeiro, and called for the full implementation of those principles under Agenda 21.
Most importantly, human settlements were acknowledged as a theme for the WSSD, as well as the current thematic cycle of the Commission for Sustainable Development, as they provide a stage for so many of the actions that affect people, the planet and prosperity.
We now look beyond the WSSD, and continue to acknowledge that cities play a significant role in the economic and spatial configuration of countries, and that urban areas are essentially locations for economic activity.
Ladies and gentlemen, our meeting here this week also indicates that we recognize that Africa is being propelled into the urban age, faced with challenges that are very different from those faced by other continents.
Research indicates that almost two billion people currently live in urban regions of the developing world. This figure is projected to double over the next 30 years, at which time urban dwellers will account for nearly half the global population.
People from the countryside are attracted to cities because these promote social and cultural progress, integration and improve the general state of inhabitants through greater access to social services.
Most of these new urban dwellers, especially in Africa, are likely to be poor, resulting in the phenomenon of "urbanisation of poverty" and the increase of slum settlements.
The existence of shack inhabitants and slum settlements on the continent remain a constant reminder that we have not fully achieved our goal of restoring the right to human dignity to all our peoples.
We cannot ignore the indignity suffered by families living in shack dwellings with no ablution facilities and no sanitation, no water, electricity or any of the basic services that we take for granted in our lives.
As long as these settlements exist, we must continue to work harder to achieve the goal of establishing habitable human settlements, and decent shelter for all.
Given our commitment as African governments, within the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), to improve the quality of life of the African peoples, we have to act swiftly to address this question.
We have to do so also because we have a political and historical duty to improve the living conditions of our people.
African peoples have gone through various periods of dehumanisation - from slavery to colonialism and neo-colonialism.
The restoration of dignity of the African people is therefore of paramount importance. Addressing this matter is interlinked to the question of sustainable urban development, and should be part of the drive for urban renewal in our major cities.
It is critical to focus on regenerating these African urban areas, as these are key centres to which we can attract investment and generate national economic growth.
Urban settlements, when properly planned and managed, are a catalyst for human development and the protection of the natural resources, through their ability to support large numbers of people, while limiting their impact on the natural environment.
There are also the massive economic benefits of whole scale Africa-wide slum eradication and new housing programmes. Such public works programmes are bound to boost the construction sectors of our continent. They will also create jobs and provide opportunities for skills development.
This augurs well for the African urban economy. Without a vibrant and productive urban economy, our urban areas will stagnate and decline.
There is reason for optimism with regards to realising these development and economic renewal goals.
Africa has inherent wealth which is yet to be fully tapped for the benefit of the continent. We have some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and offer many viable and profitable opportunities, most notably in energy, mining, infrastructure, information technology and tourism.
We must find ways of enhancing the benefits from these resources, and to use them for the development of continent.
Distinguished delegates, we are encouraged that the issue of human settlements has recently gained international interest. An example is the fact that the United Nations HABITAT became a fully-fledged United Nations Programme in 2002.
The role of the UN-Habitat is crucial in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) especially, towards the attainment of the goals relating to water, sanitation and human settlements.
In conclusion, let me emphasise that an important outcome of this conference would be agreement on the view that slums are an urgent development issue, and are not just an unfortunate consequence of urban poverty which should be ignored.
Another would be the enhancement of continental coordination. It is imperative to continue linking initiatives and programmes of our countries to NEPAD in order to continue establishing synergies between NEPAD and these initiatives.
In this way, all activities focused on Africa can be pursued in an integrated and coordinated fashion, within the framework of priorities and needs identified by Africans, for themselves.
The conference should also provide direction and awareness for settlement development on the continent, especially in line with meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation targets, and the strategic vision and mission of the AU, NEPAD and UN-Habitat.
In that way, we can achieve the goal stated in our Freedom Charter, that "There shall be Houses, Security and Comfort."
I wish you well in your deliberations, and hope that the outcomes of this conference will influence action concerning the improvement of human settlements in the African region.
Let me welcome you again to our country and conference, and trust that you will have a wonderful and fruitful stay.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
3 February 2005
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: African Ministers Conference on Housing and Urban Development
Address by Deputy President Jacob Zuma at the African Ministers Conference on Housing and Urban Development (AMCHUD), International Convention Centre, Durban
3 February 2005
The Honourable South African Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu, All Ministers of Housing and Urban Development from the continent, The Executive Director of the United Nations Habitat, The Commissioner of Social Affairs of the African Union, Distinguished Guests,
Let me begin by joining Mayor Obed Mlaba in welcoming all our esteemed guests to the country, on behalf of our people and government.
It is an honour and privilege to address this first ever Conference of African Ministers on Housing and Urban Development, focusing on the enormous challenge of urbanisation and human settlements.
We are hosting you in our country during an important year, during which we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, which articulated the minimum demands of the people of South Africa, and a vision of the kind of society we wanted to see emerge after liberation.
Among the clauses in the Charter is one that says "There shall be houses, security and comfort." It is this clause that should guide us in working towards total freedom of our peoples, where all will have access to decent shelter and comfort.
The conference clearly indicates the political will of African countries to address this challenge, and to put issues of sustainable urbanisation and development at the centre of our business as various African governments.
At the inaugural summit in Durban in July 2002, African governments committed themselves to provide a secure and stable continent within which a long-term development agenda can be pursued.
They committed themselves to extricate Africa from underdevelopment and suffering, and to improve the quality of life of all the African peoples.
The need to create stable and decent human settlements in the continent falls within that broad agenda of eradicating poverty, and ending economic marginalisation and environmental degradation.
We are hopeful that the outcome of this important conference will reflect a common African position on shelter and urbanisation, and will emphasise the question of ensuring decent and habitable housing for all in the continent.
In the deliberations, delegates will no doubt also be informed by the discussions that have taken place before, focusing on sustainable development.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in August 2002, acknowledged that "there cannot be sustainable development without, sustainable urbanisation".
It further reaffirmed the commitments agreed upon in Rio de Janeiro, and called for the full implementation of those principles under Agenda 21.
Most importantly, human settlements were acknowledged as a theme for the WSSD, as well as the current thematic cycle of the Commission for Sustainable Development, as they provide a stage for so many of the actions that affect people, the planet and prosperity.
We now look beyond the WSSD, and continue to acknowledge that cities play a significant role in the economic and spatial configuration of countries, and that urban areas are essentially locations for economic activity.
Ladies and gentlemen, our meeting here this week also indicates that we recognize that Africa is being propelled into the urban age, faced with challenges that are very different from those faced by other continents.
Research indicates that almost two billion people currently live in urban regions of the developing world. This figure is projected to double over the next 30 years, at which time urban dwellers will account for nearly half the global population.
People from the countryside are attracted to cities because these promote social and cultural progress, integration and improve the general state of inhabitants through greater access to social services.
Most of these new urban dwellers, especially in Africa, are likely to be poor, resulting in the phenomenon of "urbanisation of poverty" and the increase of slum settlements.
The existence of shack inhabitants and slum settlements on the continent remain a constant reminder that we have not fully achieved our goal of restoring the right to human dignity to all our peoples.
We cannot ignore the indignity suffered by families living in shack dwellings with no ablution facilities and no sanitation, no water, electricity or any of the basic services that we take for granted in our lives.
As long as these settlements exist, we must continue to work harder to achieve the goal of establishing habitable human settlements, and decent shelter for all.
Given our commitment as African governments, within the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), to improve the quality of life of the African peoples, we have to act swiftly to address this question.
We have to do so also because we have a political and historical duty to improve the living conditions of our people.
African peoples have gone through various periods of dehumanisation - from slavery to colonialism and neo-colonialism.
The restoration of dignity of the African people is therefore of paramount importance. Addressing this matter is interlinked to the question of sustainable urban development, and should be part of the drive for urban renewal in our major cities.
It is critical to focus on regenerating these African urban areas, as these are key centres to which we can attract investment and generate national economic growth.
Urban settlements, when properly planned and managed, are a catalyst for human development and the protection of the natural resources, through their ability to support large numbers of people, while limiting their impact on the natural environment.
There are also the massive economic benefits of whole scale Africa-wide slum eradication and new housing programmes. Such public works programmes are bound to boost the construction sectors of our continent. They will also create jobs and provide opportunities for skills development.
This augurs well for the African urban economy. Without a vibrant and productive urban economy, our urban areas will stagnate and decline.
There is reason for optimism with regards to realising these development and economic renewal goals.
Africa has inherent wealth which is yet to be fully tapped for the benefit of the continent. We have some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and offer many viable and profitable opportunities, most notably in energy, mining, infrastructure, information technology and tourism.
We must find ways of enhancing the benefits from these resources, and to use them for the development of continent.
Distinguished delegates, we are encouraged that the issue of human settlements has recently gained international interest. An example is the fact that the United Nations HABITAT became a fully-fledged United Nations Programme in 2002.
The role of the UN-Habitat is crucial in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) especially, towards the attainment of the goals relating to water, sanitation and human settlements.
In conclusion, let me emphasise that an important outcome of this conference would be agreement on the view that slums are an urgent development issue, and are not just an unfortunate consequence of urban poverty which should be ignored.
Another would be the enhancement of continental coordination. It is imperative to continue linking initiatives and programmes of our countries to NEPAD in order to continue establishing synergies between NEPAD and these initiatives.
In this way, all activities focused on Africa can be pursued in an integrated and coordinated fashion, within the framework of priorities and needs identified by Africans, for themselves.
The conference should also provide direction and awareness for settlement development on the continent, especially in line with meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation targets, and the strategic vision and mission of the AU, NEPAD and UN-Habitat.
In that way, we can achieve the goal stated in our Freedom Charter, that "There shall be Houses, Security and Comfort."
I wish you well in your deliberations, and hope that the outcomes of this conference will influence action concerning the improvement of human settlements in the African region.
Let me welcome you again to our country and conference, and trust that you will have a wonderful and fruitful stay.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
3 February 2005
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
