[mpisgmedia] Asian Urbanization Global Priority, ADB Vice President Tells Manila Conference

Asian Urbanization Global Priority, ADB Vice President Tells Manila
Conference

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Asian urbanization is a global problem that should be
at the forefront of donors' agendas, an ADB Vice-President told the opening
of a conference today.

Speaking at the conference on Investing in Asia's Urban Future,
Vice-President Ursula Schaefer-Preuss said given that serious and growing
problems have overwhelmed urban managers, the response cannot simply be
business-as-usual.

"We need to develop new modes for engagement in this sector, reflecting new
roles and types of clients," she said. "Today's responses must address the
factors key to a sustainable future: economic, environmental and social."

In the next 20 years, another 1.1 billion people will live in Asia's already
congested cities, she pointed out. "Without effective urban management, this
growth will only exacerbate the existing problems of pollution, lack of
potable water, slums and traffic congestion, among others," said the
Vice-President, responsible for ADB's knowledge management and sustainable
development operations.

The conference, partnered by the German Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ), will identify the priorities to be
tackled in the face of the massive demographic and social changes taking
place on Asia's urban landscape.

In her address to the conference opening, Karin Kortmann, ADB Governor for
Germany and German Vice Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development,
said that to make the complex process of urbanization sustainable and
viable, action needs to be taken at all levels of society.

"Urban development is a shared task - nations, country groupings and
multilateral organizations must take action, as well as civil society, the
private sector, and municipalities," she said.

"The Asian Development Bank and German development cooperation pursue
similar integrated urban development strategies. Our goal is to bring about
lasting improvements in the living conditions of the urban poor, to limit
the negative environmental consequences of urban growth, and to make use of
cities' potential for national development."

Giving the keynote address at the conference, M. Ramachandran, Secretary of
the Ministry of Urban Development of India, made the point that Asia faces
urban challenges that are unprecedented in history.

"Globalization and decentralization are exerting pressures on cities whose
implications are just getting to be understood," he said.

"They are creating demands of very large proportions in the spheres of
investments, institutions, and capacity building. Most Asian economies
suffer from infrastructure deficits which have to be met not in a long-run
perspective, but over the next 5-10 years or so."

Taking part in the conference are about 170 participants from national and
local governments, civil society, private sector, academia, international
organizations, and established networks.

At the conclusion tomorrow, representatives of the German Government and
ADB, together with other interested parties, are expected to set out how
they intend to collaborate to address the social and environmental
challenges of Asia's urban development.

See the event site at: Investing in Asia's Urban
Future<http://adbweb/Documents/Events/2007/asia-urban/default.asp>

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