- Email: [email protected]
Editorial and introduction
HABITAT Pergamon
INTL, Vol. 3, No. 3/4. pp 199-20, Press. 1978. Printed m Great Braam
PART I. THE NEW CENTRE
Editorial and Introduction This issue of HABITAT INTERNATIONAL celebrates the establishment of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and of Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements. Both are the results of Resolution No. 162 of the 32nd session of the General Assembly
on December
19th 1977.
Both must be seen as testimonies of the determination of the member nations to implement the resolutions of the Vancouver Conference of 1976. Still more important, both are signs that the UN has outgrown its original limited role as peace keeper and preserver of the status quo and is adopting the much greater and more ambitious task of becoming an agency of development and change. In the first period of the history the end of the 1950’s, the organs major purposes - viz.
of the United Nations that lasted from 1945 to roughly and specialised agencies of the UN were to serve four
PEACEKEEPING: Security Council, (all 1945) and UNESCO (1946);(l)
International
Court of Justice,
ECONOMIC STABILITY: Economic and Social Council, International Mopnetary Fund (1947) and International Labour since 1919, but recognised as UN Specialized Agency in 1946).
Trusteeship
Council
World Bank (1946), Organization (existing
WELFARE AND AID IN DISTRESS: The Food and Agriculture Organization (1945), UNICEF, The Children’s Fund (1946), the World Health Organization (1948), UNRWA (1949) and the High Commission for Refugees (195 1); WORLD ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION: International Atomic Energy Agency (1957), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades (1948), the InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (1948), the World Meteorological Administration (195 1) and the International Telecommunications Union and the Universal Postal Union (like IL0 founded earlier, i.e. in 1865 and 1875 and incorporated into the UN family in 1947 and 1948 respectively). The second period in the history of the UN began in the early 1960’s and lasted well into the 70’s. It brought a new emphasis, that on Development and with it on Change. It
(l)Contrary to common belief, the founders of UNESCO did not consider education, science and culture as “the purpose of UNESCO is to sufficient causes for the creation of a United Nations Agency. Officially, contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture. .“.
199
200
Introduction
started with the establishment of the International Development Association (1960), the UN Development Programme (1965), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (1964) and the UN Industrial Development Organization (1967) and it affected all UN agencies through the declaration of the first “United Nations Development Decade”. The second Special Session of the General Assembly in 1975 brought the process of change of the preceding fifteen years to an appropriate conclusion by separating the political from the developmental functions of the UN Secretariat and creating a new post of Deputy Secretary for the latter. The United Nations Environment Programme (1972) and Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements (1977) are the latest additions to the UN family. It is too early to determine an approximate date for the beginning of a third period. We shall probably realised in a few years time that this third period started with the Stockholm Conference in 1972 and the initiation of the United Nations Environment Programme in the same year. While the second period was dominated by concern with economic development, the third will probably be known for its emphasis on environmental development, beginning with preservation and moving at the Vancouver Conference in 1976 to the more positive commitments to the creation of a better physical environment in all human settlements. For Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements the emphasis is clearly on change. This is spelt out in the Preamble to Resolution 32/162 which speaks of “improvement of the of Action on the Establishment of a New quality of life”, recalls “the Programme International Economic Order” and considers that “International co-operation in the field of human settlements should be viewed as an instrument of socio-economic A far cry from 1946 when even involvement in education, science and development”. culture had to be justified as “contributing to peace and security”. The change in the role and purpose of the United Nations did not occur without struggle. It was clearly linked with a decline of the influence of the great powers, the increase of solidarity among the developing nations and the emergence of a new group of oil-rich countries among those who had previously counted among the poorest. It would be a wonderful task for a modern historian or political scientist to trace, analyse and recount the history of the United Nations during the past thirty years and recall the many dramatic struggles and incidents that accompanied their transformation from a “club of the rich” to an “an agency for peaceful change and development”.
Part I of this issue illustrates the phases of this struggle that preceded the establishment the Commission on Human Settlements and of Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements. It begins with the reproduction of Resolution No. 162 of the 32nd session of of
the General Assembly on December 19th, 1977 which merits study and reference not only as an important document of United Nations thinking, but also as a brief for future policies and action. This is followed by a Stop Press item: a note from the United Nations Information Service announcing the appointment of Mr. A, Ramachandran as Executive Director of the new Habitat Centre in Nairobi. HABITAT INTERNATIONAL offers its congratulations to Mr. Ramachandran and wishes him every success in his challenging task.
201
Introduction
The remaining contributions the Habitat Centre.
to Part I complete
the story of the conception
Dr. Ernest Weissmann, erstwhile Director of the Planning, was alone in the first period of the involvement in the planning and development of story of the germination of the idea in the corridors growth-not without opposition and set-backs-to Ericu Mann, an architect/editor of Habitat
UN Centre for Housing Building and UN to recognise the need for UN human settlements. He recounts the of the Secretariat and its gestation and the birth of the Habitat Centre.
reports
on the plans for the future
homes
and UNEP.
Michael Popovic, position account
from Nairobi
and birth of
Director of the UN Information Centre in London, describes of the new Habitat Centre within the structure of the UN and illustrates with an impressive diagram.
the his
Professor J. E. S. Fawcett analyses the voting for and against resolution 32/162 and related subjects and derives from this a fascinating insight into the political forces that helped or delayed the creation of the new centre; this analysis makes it easier to understand and appreciate the last paper of Part I, a contribution from. Enrique Penalosa who, as Secretary General of the Vancouver Conference, was one of the main actors in the dramatic events that lead from Vancouver to Nairobi. His vivid and frank account of the birth pangs of the new institute is a better testimony of his passionate commitment and of his achievements than any panegyric by an outsider could ever be.
INTL, Vol. 3, No. 3/4. pp 199-20, Press. 1978. Printed m Great Braam
PART I. THE NEW CENTRE
Editorial and Introduction This issue of HABITAT INTERNATIONAL celebrates the establishment of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements and of Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements. Both are the results of Resolution No. 162 of the 32nd session of the General Assembly
on December
19th 1977.
Both must be seen as testimonies of the determination of the member nations to implement the resolutions of the Vancouver Conference of 1976. Still more important, both are signs that the UN has outgrown its original limited role as peace keeper and preserver of the status quo and is adopting the much greater and more ambitious task of becoming an agency of development and change. In the first period of the history the end of the 1950’s, the organs major purposes - viz.
of the United Nations that lasted from 1945 to roughly and specialised agencies of the UN were to serve four
PEACEKEEPING: Security Council, (all 1945) and UNESCO (1946);(l)
International
Court of Justice,
ECONOMIC STABILITY: Economic and Social Council, International Mopnetary Fund (1947) and International Labour since 1919, but recognised as UN Specialized Agency in 1946).
Trusteeship
Council
World Bank (1946), Organization (existing
WELFARE AND AID IN DISTRESS: The Food and Agriculture Organization (1945), UNICEF, The Children’s Fund (1946), the World Health Organization (1948), UNRWA (1949) and the High Commission for Refugees (195 1); WORLD ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION: International Atomic Energy Agency (1957), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades (1948), the InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (1948), the World Meteorological Administration (195 1) and the International Telecommunications Union and the Universal Postal Union (like IL0 founded earlier, i.e. in 1865 and 1875 and incorporated into the UN family in 1947 and 1948 respectively). The second period in the history of the UN began in the early 1960’s and lasted well into the 70’s. It brought a new emphasis, that on Development and with it on Change. It
(l)Contrary to common belief, the founders of UNESCO did not consider education, science and culture as “the purpose of UNESCO is to sufficient causes for the creation of a United Nations Agency. Officially, contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture. .“.
199
200
Introduction
started with the establishment of the International Development Association (1960), the UN Development Programme (1965), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (1964) and the UN Industrial Development Organization (1967) and it affected all UN agencies through the declaration of the first “United Nations Development Decade”. The second Special Session of the General Assembly in 1975 brought the process of change of the preceding fifteen years to an appropriate conclusion by separating the political from the developmental functions of the UN Secretariat and creating a new post of Deputy Secretary for the latter. The United Nations Environment Programme (1972) and Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements (1977) are the latest additions to the UN family. It is too early to determine an approximate date for the beginning of a third period. We shall probably realised in a few years time that this third period started with the Stockholm Conference in 1972 and the initiation of the United Nations Environment Programme in the same year. While the second period was dominated by concern with economic development, the third will probably be known for its emphasis on environmental development, beginning with preservation and moving at the Vancouver Conference in 1976 to the more positive commitments to the creation of a better physical environment in all human settlements. For Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements the emphasis is clearly on change. This is spelt out in the Preamble to Resolution 32/162 which speaks of “improvement of the of Action on the Establishment of a New quality of life”, recalls “the Programme International Economic Order” and considers that “International co-operation in the field of human settlements should be viewed as an instrument of socio-economic A far cry from 1946 when even involvement in education, science and development”. culture had to be justified as “contributing to peace and security”. The change in the role and purpose of the United Nations did not occur without struggle. It was clearly linked with a decline of the influence of the great powers, the increase of solidarity among the developing nations and the emergence of a new group of oil-rich countries among those who had previously counted among the poorest. It would be a wonderful task for a modern historian or political scientist to trace, analyse and recount the history of the United Nations during the past thirty years and recall the many dramatic struggles and incidents that accompanied their transformation from a “club of the rich” to an “an agency for peaceful change and development”.
Part I of this issue illustrates the phases of this struggle that preceded the establishment the Commission on Human Settlements and of Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements. It begins with the reproduction of Resolution No. 162 of the 32nd session of of
the General Assembly on December 19th, 1977 which merits study and reference not only as an important document of United Nations thinking, but also as a brief for future policies and action. This is followed by a Stop Press item: a note from the United Nations Information Service announcing the appointment of Mr. A, Ramachandran as Executive Director of the new Habitat Centre in Nairobi. HABITAT INTERNATIONAL offers its congratulations to Mr. Ramachandran and wishes him every success in his challenging task.
201
Introduction
The remaining contributions the Habitat Centre.
to Part I complete
the story of the conception
Dr. Ernest Weissmann, erstwhile Director of the Planning, was alone in the first period of the involvement in the planning and development of story of the germination of the idea in the corridors growth-not without opposition and set-backs-to Ericu Mann, an architect/editor of Habitat
UN Centre for Housing Building and UN to recognise the need for UN human settlements. He recounts the of the Secretariat and its gestation and the birth of the Habitat Centre.
reports
on the plans for the future
homes
and UNEP.
Michael Popovic, position account
from Nairobi
and birth of
Director of the UN Information Centre in London, describes of the new Habitat Centre within the structure of the UN and illustrates with an impressive diagram.
the his
Professor J. E. S. Fawcett analyses the voting for and against resolution 32/162 and related subjects and derives from this a fascinating insight into the political forces that helped or delayed the creation of the new centre; this analysis makes it easier to understand and appreciate the last paper of Part I, a contribution from. Enrique Penalosa who, as Secretary General of the Vancouver Conference, was one of the main actors in the dramatic events that lead from Vancouver to Nairobi. His vivid and frank account of the birth pangs of the new institute is a better testimony of his passionate commitment and of his achievements than any panegyric by an outsider could ever be.