United Nations Radio

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has challenged all mankind to make cities healthier, safer, economically vibrant and more just and equitable for all.

The Secretary-General's call comes in a message to the 4th World Urban Forum which began in the Chinese southern city of Nanjing on Monday. The message was delivered by Sha Zukang, UN Under-Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs. Our colleague Maoqi Li is at the Forum and file this report.

Projections show that by the year 2030, cities will be home to two thirds of the global population. But rapid urbanization has caused some big headaches for mankind such as generating bulk of waste, creating greenhouse gas emission, and increasing poverty, Mr. Sha quoted Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as saying:

Sha:" Never before has the world witnessed such rapid urbanization. But at the dawn of this new urban era, roughly a third of the world's urban population lives in slums and informal settlements. If current trends continue, this figure could reach two billion by the year 2030. The provision of basic services and decent and affordable housing is no longer just a sectoral objective; it is a strategic means for attaining the Millennium Development Goals."

Nanjing, a city of the Special Citation of the Habitat Scroll of Honour, is the fourth city to hold UN-HABITAT's biannual World Urban Forum. The previous ones were held in Nairobi, Barcelona and Vancouver. More than 14,000 people have registered for this year's event to learn and share experiences in tackling the challenge of balanced territorial development in the process of rapid urbanization.

Li Maoqi, reporting for UN Radio from Nanjing, China.

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