LOCAL HEORES 21 - FINAL RESOLUTION

The considerations, principles and postulates of the representatives of major cities working in Urban 21 are, for the most part, void of meaning. For us, Local Heroes 21 participating in the meeting of urban grassroots movements, the giant Urban 21 has given birth to a dwarf!

The fact that many millions of Deutschmarks have been spent in order to say "We live in a world of great diversity" is scandalous! We ask the governments of all countries not to organise other conferences like Urban 21 if people and their representative grassroots organisations are not fully involved in the organisation of the conference from the very beginning until the formulation of the final report.

We would have thought that, if the conference organisers really would have wanted to help cities, they would have made a strong appeal to governments to implement the Habitat Agenda and to substantially increase funds for development cooperation in the urban field.

With respect to the recommendations of the participants in Urban 21, we refute the reference to globalisation and competitiveness. In response to the thirteen points of the final report, we ask the following questions:

Urban 21 Recommendations versus Local Heroes 21 Comments:

1. Cities should adopt effective urban policies based upon an integrated rather than a sectorial approach.

Can urban policies be as effective for the poor as they are for the rich? If you talk about administration, who controls it?

2. Cities should strive to alleviate poverty and meet the basic needs of their citizens.

Why not "eliminate poverty" by policies of redistribution and public works, quality education and health services which are equally available for all people?

3. Cities should strive to promote local economic development.

But, for which citizens? A rich peoples economy or job opportunities for the poor? And what about social and cultural development?

4. Cities should, where appropriate, consider accepting and integrating the informal economy and settlements into the formal economy and urban systems.

Who defines "appropriate", and why not legalise the informal economy, which accounts for at least fifty percent of the economy?

5. Cities should embrace information technology and promote the education of their citizens with the philosophy of life-long learning in order to achieve global competitiveness.

Why "global competitiveness" and not global solidarity?

6. Cities should conserve their history and heritage and aspire to become beautiful places where art, architecture and landscape bring joy and inspiration to the citizens.

But how? Does this include the "problem" areas?

7. Cities should promote the development of an appropriate public transport system which is fast, safe and affordable; control the use of the private car; and encourage the use of environmentally friendly means of transport.

Always sought after never achieved - will the car industry accept this?

8. Cities should attempt to achieve a good balance between the natural environment and the built environment thereby enhancing the citizens' quality of life.

Why not discuss ecological racism: the export of garbage and toxic waste, polluted ground, water, etc.?

9. Cities should govern themselves and order their relations with all their citizens, without discrimination, in accordance with the principles of democracy and good governance.

"Without discrimination": as for immigrants in Europe, Afro-Americans and Latinos in the USA, or "untouchables" in India? Why "good governance" and not social justice? By this, we mean equal access to fundamental rights such as housing, schools, social and health services, clean air, water and sanitation.

10. National governments should give higher priority to urban development in their policies.

Does "urban development" mean equitable redistribution of urban space, or expropriations and evictions"?

11. National and regional governments should ensure that cities have sufficient power and resources to carry out their functions and responsibilities.

Yes they should. What about neighborhood and grassroot power?

12. The major cities of the world should establish a forum in which networking, mutual help and the faster dissemination of best practices.

Why not people-to-people networking?

13. The World Bank, the UN Development Programme, the UN Center for Human Settlements, other international agencies and bilateral donors should intensify their cooperation with cities in the field of housing, urban development and poverty alleviation.

Is the World Bank ready to annul the debt of the "Third World"?