CM/Res.1637 (LXIII)
RESOLUTION ON THE SECOND UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS (HABITAT II) IMPLEMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP MECHANISMS
The Council of Ministers of the organization of African Unity, meeting in its Sixty-third Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26 to 28 February; 1996,
Recalling its Resolution CM/Res.1469 (LVIII) of June 1993 that called upon the Member States of the Organization of African Unity to participate actively in the preparatory activities for the Habitat 11 and the Conference itself in, Istanbul, Turkey, in June 1996,
Taking into Account that Resolution CM/Res.1469 (LVIII) called up on the Member States of the Organization of African to support the Habitat II preparatory process at the national, sub - regional and regional levels by working with regional bodies such as the OAU, ADE, UNECA, Shelter Afrique and others,
Further Taking into account the Johannesburg Declaration adopted by the African Ministers responsible for Human Settlements that calls for the strengthening of the role of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) so that they can effectively carry out their work at the international level and within the United Nations system, in line with the added responsibilities that will emerge as a consequence of the Habitat II Conference,
Noting with concern that in many African countries, the achievements in terms of policies, programmes and projects at the national level in the field of human settlements have not been sufficient to arrest or reverse the deterioration in the living environment of the people due to, inter - alia, the pressure of population growth and urbanization and because the financial resource requirements for human settlement programmes far exceed the availability of resources in these countries,
Concerned that the human settlements problems that led to the establishment of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) ) have not been solved as is explained by Resolution 47/180 of the General Assembly that decided to convene the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) due to the deteriorating human settlements conditions globally,
Reaffirming the UN General Assembly Resolution 48/176 of 21 December 1993 which, inter -alia, requested the Assembly to ensure that, in the restructuring of the United Nations System, the
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) is maintained as the global focal point for human settlements and that its institutional capabilities are strengthened at its headquarters, maximizing the effectiveness of national and regional operations,
Convinced that the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) are significant organs in the implementation and follow- up of the Habitat II Conference recommendations:
REAFFIRMS the support of the OAU and its Member States for the preparatory process for the Habitat II Conference at the national, sub-regional and regional levels;
ENDORSES the Johannesburg Declaration and its call for the strengthening of the role of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and the Un4-ted Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) to enable them to respond effectively to the additional challenges emerging from the Habitat II Conference;
CALLS UPON the regional bodies in Africa such as the ADB, UN-ECA, Shelter Afrique and others to continue to work closely with the OAU in seeking sustainable human settlements solutions for African countries and their peoples;
CALLS for the updating of the mandate of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and the strengthening of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) in order to effectively coordinate the implementation and follow-up of the post-Habitat II Plan of Action;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity to bring this resolution to the attention of the-United Nations Secretary-General, the Executive-Secretary of UN- ECA, the President of the ADIB and Member States of the OAU for their concerted action.