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Africans
Active at UN World Urban Forum in
Vancouver
by
Jerry W. Bird, Editor
What a memorable week. After
30 years UN Habitat returns to
its launching pad - the seaport
city of Vancouver,
British Columbia Canada. The
crowd is estimated at 10,000 plus
and it certainly seems so,
judging by the heavy attendance
at many sessions. At the time of
writing, we are about to take a
group of mayors from different
African countries on a tour of
Vancouver and returning some of
the hospitality we have enjoyed
in eleven years representing the
Africa Travel Association and its
media in North
America
The
twin goals of Habitat are
"Adequate shelter for all" and
"sustainable human settlements
development in an urbanizing
world. "The "Global Village" is
well represented, this week -
with Africa making a particularly
strong showing. As publishers of
Africa Travel Magazine and
related travel business media
features, we were extremely
pleased and honored to be able to
to network with so many of our
African colleagues. We will
introduce key African delegates
and speakers to you via radio
interviews and photos as this
important feature unfolds. Our
editors encountered another big
surprise on arrival at the Expo
Media Center, where many African
print and broadcast media were
present, giving us ample
opportunity to exchange views and
share ideas. Many delegates
requested complimentary copies of
Africa Travel magazine. These
issues from our archives cover a
wide range of African
destinations and
topics.
The
impact of Urban Development on
African Tourism goes without
saying - and this event, along
with Globe 2006 World's Largest
Enviro-Business Expo, also in
Vancouver, open up a broad avenue
for our editorial group. The week
started off with a keynote
address by Hon. Stephen Harper,
Prime Minister of Canada (left),
followed by Vancouver Mayor Sam
Sullivan, and BC Premier Gordon
Campbell.
 Anna
Kajumulo
Tibaijuka
of Tanzania
(left),
Under-Secretary-General and
Executive Director, UN-HABITAT,
highest ranking African woman in
the United Nations, gave an
outline of the program';s
purpose. "As the international
community celebrates Vancouver +
30, it should also reflect on the
important lessons learned in
urban development and the need to
reduce inequalities within
cities. Cities present an
unparalleled opportunity for the
simultaneous attainment of most,
if not all, of the
internationally agreed
development goals. Interventions
in, for example, poor water and
sanitation, have immediate
positive knock-on effects in
terms of improved health,
nutrition, disease prevention and
the environment. However, unless
such concerted action is taken to
redress urban inequalities,
cities may well become the
predominant sites of deprivation,
social exclusion and instability
worldwide."
Conference
speaker list includes several
high profile Africans
Here are just some of the people
who will be sharing their
expertise and experience with
participants at
WUF3:
•
Lindiwe
Sisulu,
Minister
of Housing of the Republic of
South Africa, Government of South
Africa
•
Maria Mutagamba, Minister of
State for Water, Ministry of
Water, Lands &
Environment
Government of
Uganda
•
Zaine Verjee, Anchor, CNN,
Atlanta, United
States
•
Arjun Thapan, Deputy Director
General, Mekong Department, Asian
Development Bank
Manila,
Philippines
•
Swaminathan Shankar Aiyar,
Consulting Editor, The Economic
Times, Delhi,
India
•
Anna Maria Tremonti, Host, The
Current,
CBC,
Toronto,
Canada
•
Ghulam Sakhi Noorzad, Mayor of
Kabul, Afghanistan
•
Elisabeth Gateau, Secretary
General, United Cities and Local
Governments (UCLG), Barcelona,
Spain
•
Evelyn Herfkens , Executive
Coordinator, Millennium Campaign,
United Nations
Visit
local examples of
sustainability
Examples of urban sustainability
are yours to discover just
outside the doors of WUF3. See
how a waste water treatment plant
works or cycle around the
University of British Columbia
campus. Free guided tours will
take you off the tourist track
and help you see why Vancouver is
one of the most sustainable
cities on the
planet.
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