CITYNET: REGIONAL NETWORK OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

MR. KENJI IWASAKI, CITYNET/YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

(Summary from proceedings)

Over the past 40 years, the population in the Asia-Pacific region has seen explosive growth from 360 million in 1960 to 1200 million in 2000. As a result, problems have arisen in the areas of poverty, pollution, human settlements, deterioration and increase in management costs for city functions. In addition to bilateral cooperation activities with sister cities, the Yokohama city government has realized the need for multilateral cooperation among cities. In this regard, Yokohama has been an active member of CITYNET since its inception.

The first Asia-Pacific City Conference (Y’LAP) was organized by ESCAP, UNCHS Habitat, and Yokohama City in 1982. Following that conference, the second Asia-Pacific City Conference (N’LAP) was jointly organized in 1987 by ESCAP and Nagoya at which the Nagoya Declaration was adopted, in which the Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements (CITYNET) was established. In 1989, the First CITYNET Congress was organized in Shanghai, at which the CITYNET Charter was adopted.

We began CITYNET in 1989 with 28 members however, at the last Bangkok convention, we saw membership grow to 130. Of the 130 members, there are 73 full members and 57 associate members from cities in the region. The following are more details about membership: 73 cities from the Asia-Pacific region, three outside the region, and 54 development agencies, national-level organizations and non-governmental organizations. Additionally, CITYNET is a non-profit organization that was granted special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), an agency in the United Nations. Yokohama has hosted the secretariat since its establishment in 1992.

The structure of CITYNET includes a General Council, Executive Committee, and Secretariat. The General Council is the highest authority of CITYNET and is convened once every four years with all members. The Executive Committee meets every year with the participation of 11 members (Yokohama (President), Bangkok (1st Vice-President), Mumbai (2nd Vice-President), Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai, Lyon, All Indian Institution of Local Self-Government, Asian Confederation for Housing Rights, and Yokohama. The auditor is Islamabad.).

CITYNET conducts activities by according to priority in five major activity areas (Urban Environment and Health, Poverty in Urban Areas, Municipal Finance and Administration, Infrastructure and Service Management, Good Urban Governance). We have funding from several organizations for specific activities, as well as administrative and programme accounts, which are funded by local governments of member cities and donor agencies such as the United Nations.

Some of the activity areas in the year 2000 included participation in 16 international conferences (ESCAP, World Bank, UNEP, etc.) and publication of the City Voice in English (February, July, December) and the CITYNET Club in Japanese (March, October). Other activities included organizing seminars, workshops, providing guidance, research and Technical Cooperation Among Cities in Developing Countries (TCDC), study tours, and research activities according to our priority areas.

  1. Urban Environment and Health (5 activities)

・Training on solid waste management (recycling activities of Yokohama)

・Study tours on water supply projects

  1. Poverty Alleviation (4 activities)

・Field study on the problem of urban poverty in Asia

・Study tours to Kuala Lumpur and Penang to increase revenues from sightseeing and tourism activities

・Regional seminars on the food situation in cities in Asia

  1. Municipal Finance and Administration (3 activities)

・Introduction of successful cases on municipal financial management in Asia

・Services by consulting teams, etc.

  1. Infrastructure and Service Management (7 activities)

・Guidance and assistance by dispatching experts regarding subsidence countermeasures

・Study tour on GIS to Bangkok by member city

・Seminars on urban transportation systems for the 21st century

CITYNET is now in its 15thyear and have raised evaluations and expectations regarding our activities. A mid-term activity plan for 2002-2005 was adopted at the Bangkok convention held on November 1st. In this plan, CITYNET will look to promote social justice, environmental sustainability, citizen participation, active economies, and cultural maintenance, as well as the concept of the creation of a global-minded, people-friendly town. In order to achieve this, CITYNET will look to facilitate partnerships with local administrations, related institutions, NGOs and businesses. In other words, CITYNET will create a multi-faceted cooperation network with south-north-south collaboration, together with the traditional south-south cooperation and south-north cooperation. While maintaining our autonomy, CITYNET will look to strengthen and establish cooperative networks with related institutions, groups, and private companies, as well as other networks. CITYNET will also aim to identify and find solutions to the needs of members making use of IT technologies and resources, as well as facilitate the transfer of technology through the organization of special consulting groups. Finally, CITYNET will focus the creation of more effective and efficient networks established by region, size or specific areas.

CITYNET, as well as the Kitakyushu Initiative, were both established to facilitate and conduct activities focusing on finding solutions to environmental problems in cities in the Asia-Pacific region. CITYNET, with 130 members in the Asia-Pacific region, has a long history and has developed various activities; in this regard, it can be understood that CITYNET and the Kitakyushu Initiative have the possibility to form a partnership and facilitate a cooperative relationship in the future.