From Vancouver 1976 to Vancouver 2006: Summary on Concepts and Actions

Report

Day / Time Tuesday, June 20th / 13:30 - 15:30

Event Description
It is not easy to measure the impact of meetings organised by the United Nations for discussing the problems of a given domain, especially in such limited time frames that durable results and genuine obstacles cannot be fully considered. However, over a thirty-year time span, there is evidence of mounting interest in having a critical report on the path thus far travelled and the impact of reflection and action. How has the African city evolved in its configuration, its facilities, its constraints, its resources, and its challenges? What is the impact of initiated action on its development and management? What have been known successes and setbacks? How have the concepts that guided action fundamentally changed? What has happened to the catastrophic projections and predictions made in the 1970's to justify general intervention and mobilisation against urban problems? How have the experience's and lessons learned been documented by countries? Have they been shared? With who? Which new theoretical and political prospective must be given in order to get to the desired massive and durable changes. This networking event is a prolongation of this debate. It will constitute one privileged moment to take stock of the thought and the interventions in the cities in general and the African cities in particular. It will be held in the presence of leading research experts, local authorities and various representatives interested in questions regarding the urban issues. The results of these exchanges will account for the paradigmatic perspectives and will direct the postures of the future.

Session Language

English

French

Host Organization Enda Tiers-Monde

Host Organization Description It is not easy to measure the impact of meetings organized by the United Nations for discussing the problems in a given domain, especially in time frames that ares so short that it makes it impossible to fully consider durable results and genuine obstacles. However, over a thirty year time span, there is evidence of mounting interest in having a critical report on the path thus far travelled and the impact of reflection and action. How has the African city evolved in its configuration, its facilities, its constraints, its resources, and its challenges? What is the impact of initiated actions on its development and management? What have been known successes and set backs? How have the concepts that guided action fundamentally changed? What has happened to the catastrophic projections and predictions made in the 1970's to justify general intervention and mobilisation against urban problems? How have the experiences and lessons learned been documented by countries? Have they been shared? With whom? Which new theoretical and political prospective must be given in order to get to the desired massive and durable changes? The Networking Event in Vancouver is a prolongation of this debate. It will constitute one privileged moment to take stock of the thought and the interventions in cities in general and in African cities in particular. It will be held in the presence of leading research experts, local authorities and various representatives interested in questions regarding urban issues. The results of these exchanges will account for the paradigmatic perspectives and will direct the postures of the future. A publication of the terms of the debate and its lesson is envisaged after the World Urban Forum III. Enda Tiers Monde, ANUMI and the BRAPA of UN-HABITAT cordially invite you to take part massively to this debate.

 

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Title of Event: Name of Organisation: Date and time of the session:	From Vancouver 1976 to Vancouver 2006:summary of Ideas and actions Enda Tiers Monde Tuesday June 20 th from 1:30 to 3:30
Key Highlights Estimated no of participants :150 to 200 Stakeholder group representation at the event: Chaired by Cheikh Guèye of the Executive Secretariat of Enda, the participants were Daniel BIAU of UN-HABITAT, Marcello Balbo of NAERUS network group, Jean Jacques Guibbert of the University of Toulouse and member of the Board of Enda, Anna Sugranyes of Habitat International Coalition (HIC), Alioune Badiane, Director of the Bureau for Africa and Arab Countries of UN-HABITAT, etc. What were the expected objectives: to take a stock of the thoughts and actions during these last 30 years. What did the networking event achieve: This high levelled debate allowed reviewing the principal paradigms which guided the action of the international institutions, the NGOs and the basic communities, thus leading to a generalized mobilization which impact now profits. But it also made it possible to realize the insufficiencies and the lack of deepening and sustainability of the progress realised.
2. What were the core issues identified in your event as they relate to the theme and sub-themes of WUFIII? It allowed questioning of the African cities in their configuration, their constraints, their progress and the impact of the actions initiated since 30 years. What are the notorious successes and failures? How the concepts which guided actions had basically evolved? How the experiences/ lessons learned were documented by countries? Have they been shared? With who?
3. What were the main points raised by panellists and participants in relation to these different issues? What new ideas have been generated as a result of the discussion? Which new theoretical perspective and policy one must have in order to get to great and sustainable changes desired. What had became the catastrophic forecasts and predictions made in the Seventies to explain the generalized intervention and the mobilization of all, around the urban problems? All these questions found brief answers through contributions of various research celebrities and heads of network groups gathered for the event. A publication is planned from the various contributions.
4. What process steps have been identified in your event that could help turn ideas into operational reality? The teaching drawn from this issue is that it is necessary to put a stress on the right of citizens to see their living conditions improved. This implies the involvement of local government authorities, citizens at all level. To achieve this goal, effective and efficient policies must be defined by decision makers and a wider political good-will is required.

 

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