The committee on housing, building and planning

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND

SOCIAL COUNCIL

;> k t -?

Distr.

GENERAL

E/CN.14/175

20 February 1963 Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Fifth session

Leopoldville, February-March 1963 Provisional agenda item 7

TEE COMMITTSE ON HOUSING, BUILDING AND PLANNING

63-LEO-151

THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, BUILDING AND PLANNING

1. The Committee on Housing, Building and Planning, was established by

Economic and Social Council resolution 903 C (XXXIV) of 2 August 1962.

The Committee held its first session in New York from 21 January to :.

X February 1963, Its report is contained in United Nations document E/3719 - 3/C.6/9 of 8 February 1963.

2. The Econdmic Commission for Africa may wish to note that in the pre amble of the resolution creating the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning, the Council oppressed satisfaction with "the growing activities

of the regional economic commissions in tho field of housing/ building ar-d planning'and'the fact that some of the regional commissions already have 'standing organs for this work and others are considering establishing them".

3. Moreover, in sotting .out tho terms of reference for tho Committee, the Council called upon the Committee io formulate, inter alia, "recommendations to the Economic and Social Council for appropriate co-ordination of

'/programmos in housing, building and planning/among the various United

Nations bodies, including the rogional economic commissions" and to .develop

"means and mothods for the increased utilization of the regional commissions in this field".

4» Similarly, the Council invited the commissions "to strengthen their activities in this field and to co-operate fully in the work of the

Committee on Housing, Building and Planning", which latter would forward its

report to the commissions "in order that the Council may consider tho .

Committee1s report .togethor with /their/" comments thoroon".

5« At the same time, the Council recommended that the Seoretary-General be authorized to strengthen "the staffs of the regional economic commissions

in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1709 (XVI) of 19 December

1961, to carry out the research and organizational work necessary for the

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6. At its first session, the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning focussed attention on stimulating national$ regional and international activities in housing, "building and environmental planning with special reference to!

(a) the role of housing and urban development within the United Nations Development Decade;

(b) the promotion of research and of exchange and dissemination of experience and information on housing, building and planning}

(c) the planning and implementation of pilot projects in housing, building and planning!

(d) material and financial assistance towards home construction

and

(e) training and educational facilities in housing, building and

planning;,

7. The Committee also reviewed the international programme in housing, building and planning, which is carried out at the present time by the

United Nations in collaboration with tho interested specialised agencies and other competent international bodies, and adopted eight resolutions pertain ing to the areas of substance noted above a3 veil as to co-ordination and organization of existing and increased international assistance in this field*

8. In discussing its future programao of work, the Economic Commission for Africa may wish to keep in mind tho priorities and resolutions which the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning proposed at its first session for consideration by the Economic and Social Council at its thirty-sixth session from 2 July to 2 August 1963. More specifically, the Commission may bo interested in the references given in the following paragraphs which have been extracted from tho report of the Committee and which may have a bearing on its own programme of work.

E/CN.14/175

Pago 3

Matters of interest to tho Economic Commission for Africa

9. In its draft resolution on housing, building and planning in the

"that the regional economic commissions:

(a) Initiate, and where appropriate intensify, regional studios including pilot projects and exchange of experienco and in formation on problems of environmental planning and develop ment, including the social, economic, technological and administrative aspocts of housing, building and physical planning;

(b) examine thoir present programme in this field in the light of the report of tho Committoo on Housing, Building and Planning with a view to indicating thoir present and potential contri bution to the over-all United Nations objectives and action programmes in this fiold''^

10. Tho Committoo would also have tho Council draw "the attention of the Technical Assistance Board, the Special Fund and the World Food Programme

... to the effoctivo uso that can bo made of tho facilities, direct contacts and first-hand knowledge provided by the regional economic

commissions in initiating and executing projects in the field of housing, building and planning".

11. Lastly, the Committeo would have the Council request the Secretary- Gen oral t

"to consider ways and moans of making available tho results of ECS*s experience in this field, including information on practical

experience of its member countries, to the other rogional eoonoraia commissions and also to regional and sub-rogional centres in other parts of the world" and to take account "in the regional eoonomic commissions of tho needs in this field and to strengthen the staff resources devotod to them".

1/ E/3719 - E/C.6/9, Chapter XI, draft resolution I» operative para

graphs 2 (a) and (b), 4 (a), 7 and 9-

B/CN.I4/175

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120 In its. draft resolution on tho promotion of rogional centres for i training and of exchange and ajP«ntniration of experience and

the Committee on Housing,

Building and Planning would have tho Economic and Social Council recommend:

"that the Secretary-General, the.Executive Chairman of the Technioal Assistance Board and the Managing Director of the Special Fund in tho allocation of Technical assistance and other funds for housing, building and planning give preference to the establishment or expansion of regional centros for re

search* training of skilled and professional personnel, and the exchange and dissemination of information? whore feasible such centres should sorvo tho areas of the regional economic

commissions'1

13. In its draft resolution en ^e^staMj^hmsnt^of^n international

centre for ^c^^la^Qj^jjL^^^lS^Jluilding and Pnysical 7

the Committee on Housing; Building and Planning would have the Economic and Social Council consider "tho possible nood" for establishing such a

centre "under Vne auspices of r,he United Nations" and request "the Secretary- General to explore ^.'fcjynoooesity and foasibiliiy and to report... on alter-

native possibilities'1.

14'. In i-.-3 draft resolution en tt^ planning and iraplorocntation of pilot

£r^jecls^n^^osjm^_buj Iding.^nd .EiS?i£i.^ ■tho Coamittoc on Housing,

Building and Planning v^ould ha-c the Economic and Social Council recommend^

l!that the Secrotary-Gonorai p-ocood with tlic oxecutJon_of those

■ available in collabora^-cn with tho regional economic commissions concerned, specialized agencies and participating Mombor States,

1/ itid.? Chapter XI, draft resolution II, operative paragraph., 2/ ibid., Chapter XI, draft resolution III, preamble and operative

paragraph.

3/ ibid*;. Chapter XI, draft resolution IV, operative paragraph 2 (a).

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15# In its draft resolution on co-ordination and organization of existing and increased international assistance to housing, "building and planning-S the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning would have the Economic and Social Council:

rocognize "that the work of the Committee can be effective only if the activities of the Unitod Nations, its regional economic commissions and the specialized agencies aro efficiently organized and woll co-ordinated",

realize "that the activities of the United Nations, the rogional economic commissions and the specialized agencios in housing, building and planning are increasing and being intensified as a result of the recognition of housing and urban development as a sector of high priority in the Development Decade",

and request "the Secretary-General to submit to the Committee at its second session a comprehe: sive and systematic account of

existing programmes in housing, building and planning according to agencies who expend funds in this field and the amount of such expenditure".

16. The Committee would also have the Council request the Secretary-General to report to the second session of the Committee on consultations undertaken by him in the meantime on administrative arrangements and "questions of management, organization and procedures to ensure efficient and effoctive organization and administration of the growing international operational programmes in housing, building and physical planning" and on "how existing and future resources for international action in this field might be used most effectively".

l/ ibidn Chaptor XI, draft resolution "fill, preamble and operativo

paragraphs 1-4*

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17•. The Commission might, furthermore, wish to give attention to the following items in the report on the first session of the Committee on Housing, Building and Planning:

(a) Chapter VII, paragraph 129? stating that "special consideration

building and planning programme with other international economio development programmes".

(b) Chapter VIII, paragraph 1439 which refers to the rapporteurs to

bo appointed and who will "prepare technical studios in co operation with the regional economic commissions".