Minister of International Development Anne Kristin Sydnes

Opening statement at International Network for Urban Development (INTA)

24th Annual Congress, Håkonshallen, Bergen, 18 June 2000

What is the city but the people? – William Shakespeare once asked.

With his words, Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor and a privilege for me to welcome you to the city of Bergen -- one of the European Cities of Culture in 2000 -- and to this historic hall. I am especially pleased to see so many representatives of cities and towns in far away places - particularly our friends from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

This conference is taking place at a time when the process of urbanization is accelerating throughout the world - especially in the developing countries. This presents city and town development planners with huge challenges, particularly in the megacities of the developing countries.

Allow me to focus on the issues before this conference in the context of international development. Let me illustrate with a few sobering statistics:

• Over the next two decades more than 95 per cent of the population growth in the developing countries will be in urban areas.
• By 2025 eighty per cent of the world’s urban population will be in developing countries.
• By 2015 there will be 26 megacities with populations in excess of 10 million - compared to 14 such megacities in 1995.
• 22 of these huge population centers will be located in developing countries.

Thus, the challenges in the years ahead will be on an almost unimaginable scale. They will have to be dealt with both at local, regional and at global levels.

In too many countries, poorly managed urbanization results in high social and environmental costs. This is most clearly evident in the massive growth of urban poverty. In many cities the poorest pay dearly for low-quality services. Women bear the brunt of these burdens.

The urban challenge of this decade is to reduce poverty: by providing employment opportunities, improved access to social services, legal and social protection, and financial services.

The issue of governance is crucial in this context. Unless we address the underrepresentation of the poor in the decision-making processes at the local level – and the discrimination of women and children – these groups risk even further marginalization.

That we cannot accept!

Ladies and gentlemen,

The daily lives of millions of slum-dwellers around the world are in shocking contrast to our surroundings here today. In a global context the urban problems in Norway appear small and insignificant.

This does not mean, however, that we have no challenges left. On the contrary, the development of Norwegian towns and settlements over the last decades is not in every aspect in accordance with the requirements of sustainable development. For instance, today our four biggest towns take up 90 per cent more space than they did 30 to 40 years ago.

One important task is therefore to combine a European tradition of compact towns with the Norwegian tradition of settlement scattered over large areas. We are trying to develop more compact towns without losing green spaces for recreation, to preserve biological diversity, and to reduce the need for transportation.

In our biggest towns we find both the best and the worst living conditions in Norway. Population growth in cities often creates social unrest and unbalanced housing markets. Planning for building new and affordable housing in urban areas is one of the main challenges for Norwegian housing policies.

The speed of urbanization will no doubt force the problems it causes higher up on our local and global agendas. These problems will have to be confronted by developed as well as developing countries.

Norway has joined the international efforts to combat urban poverty in the developing countries. A large-scale effort is now being made to that effect. I am referring to the promising initiative taken first by the World Bank and Habitat, and later joined by many bilateral and multilateral actors, under the umbrella of the Cities Alliance.

The commitment and determination shown by the President of the World Bank, Mr. James Wolfensohn, and the acting executive director of Habitat, Dr. Klaus Töpfer, as well as the heads of the other participating institutions and governments, bodes well for the success of this initiative.

The fact that former president Nelson Mandela has taken such a strong and hands-on leading role in the initiative, means that these efforts will not be allowed to fail.

Norway is pleased to be able to play a small part in this joint undertaking.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Despite the problems facing us, we must remember that cities and towns are great reservoirs of cultural riches and that they have vast potential for economic growth and development. This potential must be tapped.

An American historian, Dr. Leo Marx, has summed up some of our challenges as follows: "The planner’s problem is to find ways of creating, within the urban environment, the sense of belonging". Whether you live in Calcutta or in Cairo, in Berlin or in Boston, I think that pretty well sums it all up.

I am sure that you are well aware of the tasks confronting you. I hope that your discussions during this conference will help bring about fresh insight and new answers - and enable you to renew your commitment to solving the problem of urban poverty.

I wish you every success in your deliberations here in Bergen – a city characterized by just about the strongest sense of belonging you will ever come across in Norway.

Good luck and thank you for your attention.