[CA] New Delhi Declaration

The Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development has adopted the New Delhi declaration. The declaration was adopted at the culmination of a three-day dialogue by the member nations of the Asia-Pacific region, which together account for more than half of the global urban population.

Background:

This was the first such meeting held to discuss ways of realising the New Urban Agenda that was finalised during the United Nations-Habitat III conference in Quito in October 2016. The declaration that was released at the end of the conference, hosted by India this year, will be reviewed at the next biennial Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development which will be hosted by Iran two years later.

Urban plus approach: -

This approach will address ways to make urban expansion sustainable and manageable. This would mean an emphasis on planning for urban and its adjoining peri-urban and rural areas in an integrated manner.

New Delhi Declaration: -

·        It is a global document and it will be localised as per the specific needs of the region and the country.

·        The declaration also stresses on the need to review existing policies and draft new ones that will take forward the aims of the New Urban Agenda.

·        It also looks at integration of land use and transportation planning, community participation in urban planning and service delivery.

Noting governance as the key to sustainable development, the Declaration stressed on the need for effective governance structures in urban areas.