South Africa
THE PERMANENT MISSION OF
333 East 38th street
9th Floor
SOUTH AFRICA
`ew(212 3-5583
Fax: (212) 692-2498 TO THE UNITED NATIONS
E-mail: soafun@worldnet.att.net
STATEMENT
BY
H.E. AMBASSADOR DUMISANI S. KUMALO
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
AT THE
13TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT ON THE OUTCOME OF AMCHUD
UNITED NATIONS
NEW YORK
11 APRIL 2005
Check against delivery
Chairperson,
I have the honour to present this report on behalf of Dr Lindiwe Sisulu, Chairperson of
the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (AMCHUD)
and Minister of Housing of South Africa . The inaugural meeting of the AMCHUD,
hosted by the South African Government, the African Union and UN-HABITAT was
held in Durban, South Africa from 3 to 4 February 2005 . The AMCHUD adopted the
Durban Declaration and the Enhanced Framework of Implementation as the guiding
programme for the development of human settlements in Africa . It is the hope of African
Ministers that the positions reflected in the Enhanced Framework will be taken into
account in the discussions and the outcomes of this session of the CSD .
We are pleased that this session of the CSD takes place a few days after the 2e session
of the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT . We also meet in advance of the review of
the implementation of the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development
Goals in September 2005 .
At its inaugural meeting in Durban the AMCHUD noted the predominant challenge of
poverty facing the African continent . If further noted, within that context, the critical
challenge and the need to addressing the growth of slums in Africa . It is projected that in
the next 30 years Africa's population will have doubled from 888 million in 2005 to 1,77
billion. In the same period its urban population will increase from 353 million to 748
million at the rate of 4 to 5 percent of which 71 .9% currently lives in slums .
Chairperson,
Over the years, our collective efforts have ensured that the plight of the poor, the plight of
those living in slums found its rightful place in the global agenda . It is our hope that the
establishment of the AMCHUD and the adoption of the African common position, the
Enhanced Framework of Implementation, will ensure that in the 21" century Africa will
no longer continue to progress at the margins of the rest of the world . We fervently
believe that should fundamental progress be achieved collectively all of us, developing
and developed countries will benefit.
Through the Enhanced Framework of Implementation our Ministers have articulated a
programme to promote consistent and collective approaches to urban development in
Africa . The framework highlights issues such as access to land, the mobilization of
domestic resources to fund the development of human settlements, and the importance of
external assistance including the need for the elimination of the debt burden in order to
enable African countries to meet Millennium Development Goals . The framework also
calls for the creation of specific capacity building measures and a fund dedicated to
facilitating the establishment of human settlements in Africa, including the establishment
of a financial sector that supports the development of human settlements in each country
and that is responsive to national needs and priorities.
AMCHUD is committed to ensuring that in developing the urban environment in Africa
markets also contribute to urban development . The Ministers committed themselves to
ensuring that sustainable development takes place and that Africa in the long-term
achieves self-sufficiency . These are the goals to which Africa has committed its political
will.
Lastly it was also agreed that the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and
Development would serve as the focal point in Africa for all issues concerning urban
development and human settlements . I would also like to commend the Enhanced
Framework of Implementation and the Durban Declaration as the common African
position to the deliberations that will be taking place in this session of the Commission on
Sustainable Development .
In conclusion, we urge the international community to support the implementation of the
programmes identified by the African 1V Inisterial Conference on Housing and Urban
Development.
On behalf of Minister Sisulu, I thank you, Chairperson .
333 East 38th street
9th Floor
SOUTH AFRICA
`ew(212 3-5583
Fax: (212) 692-2498 TO THE UNITED NATIONS
E-mail: soafun@worldnet.att.net
STATEMENT
BY
H.E. AMBASSADOR DUMISANI S. KUMALO
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
AT THE
13TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT ON THE OUTCOME OF AMCHUD
UNITED NATIONS
NEW YORK
11 APRIL 2005
Check against delivery
Chairperson,
I have the honour to present this report on behalf of Dr Lindiwe Sisulu, Chairperson of
the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (AMCHUD)
and Minister of Housing of South Africa . The inaugural meeting of the AMCHUD,
hosted by the South African Government, the African Union and UN-HABITAT was
held in Durban, South Africa from 3 to 4 February 2005 . The AMCHUD adopted the
Durban Declaration and the Enhanced Framework of Implementation as the guiding
programme for the development of human settlements in Africa . It is the hope of African
Ministers that the positions reflected in the Enhanced Framework will be taken into
account in the discussions and the outcomes of this session of the CSD .
We are pleased that this session of the CSD takes place a few days after the 2e session
of the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT . We also meet in advance of the review of
the implementation of the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development
Goals in September 2005 .
At its inaugural meeting in Durban the AMCHUD noted the predominant challenge of
poverty facing the African continent . If further noted, within that context, the critical
challenge and the need to addressing the growth of slums in Africa . It is projected that in
the next 30 years Africa's population will have doubled from 888 million in 2005 to 1,77
billion. In the same period its urban population will increase from 353 million to 748
million at the rate of 4 to 5 percent of which 71 .9% currently lives in slums .
Chairperson,
Over the years, our collective efforts have ensured that the plight of the poor, the plight of
those living in slums found its rightful place in the global agenda . It is our hope that the
establishment of the AMCHUD and the adoption of the African common position, the
Enhanced Framework of Implementation, will ensure that in the 21" century Africa will
no longer continue to progress at the margins of the rest of the world . We fervently
believe that should fundamental progress be achieved collectively all of us, developing
and developed countries will benefit.
Through the Enhanced Framework of Implementation our Ministers have articulated a
programme to promote consistent and collective approaches to urban development in
Africa . The framework highlights issues such as access to land, the mobilization of
domestic resources to fund the development of human settlements, and the importance of
external assistance including the need for the elimination of the debt burden in order to
enable African countries to meet Millennium Development Goals . The framework also
calls for the creation of specific capacity building measures and a fund dedicated to
facilitating the establishment of human settlements in Africa, including the establishment
of a financial sector that supports the development of human settlements in each country
and that is responsive to national needs and priorities.
AMCHUD is committed to ensuring that in developing the urban environment in Africa
markets also contribute to urban development . The Ministers committed themselves to
ensuring that sustainable development takes place and that Africa in the long-term
achieves self-sufficiency . These are the goals to which Africa has committed its political
will.
Lastly it was also agreed that the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and
Development would serve as the focal point in Africa for all issues concerning urban
development and human settlements . I would also like to commend the Enhanced
Framework of Implementation and the Durban Declaration as the common African
position to the deliberations that will be taking place in this session of the Commission on
Sustainable Development .
In conclusion, we urge the international community to support the implementation of the
programmes identified by the African 1V Inisterial Conference on Housing and Urban
Development.
On behalf of Minister Sisulu, I thank you, Chairperson .
Stakeholders