Urbanization needs better city management, not evictions
Urbanization needs better city management, not evictions
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok
Given the fact that urbanization is an unavoidable phenomenon of
development in several Asian countries, the city administration
should prepare necessary measures for proper management instead
of evicting migrants, said a United Nations Development Program
(UNDP) official.
Erna Witoelar, UNDP senior regional adviser for the Asia
Pacific and recently appointed UN special ambassador the
Millennium Development Goals (MGDs), said here on Monday that
urbanization was undeniable because more people from rural areas
were moving to cities in pursuit of a better life.
"People from rural areas will always try to improve their
lives in urban areas. Therefore, the city administration must
manage the problem well, instead of trying to prevent it," she
addressed the 6th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative.
Her statement came as the Jakarta administration stepped up
its efforts to evict squatters from across the capital.
Quoting a Newsweek report, Erna said the population of some
cities in Asia would double by 2015.
As part of efforts to manage rapid urbanization, she
recommended that city administrations and residents reformulate
the metropolis as a human settlement and a concentrated area of
population.
Therefore, she said, cities must be developed into centers of
economic activities with a high quality of life, while being
conscious of the environment.
Erna, formerly minister of infrastructure and regional
settlement, added that city administrations must see the
increasing population not as a new burden, but as new resources
with the potential to create opportunities for the city's future.
Also speaking at the seminar were Dato' Mustapa Mohamed,
executive director of the National Economic Action Council of the
Malaysian Prime Minister's Department, Kosit Panpiemras,
executive chairman of the Bangkok Bank public company, and Peter
D. Garrucho, vice chairman of First Generation Holdings
Corporation in the Philippines.
Dato' suggested that Asian countries determine a collective
objective of how to strengthen the region and to improve the life
of Asia's people.
He said there was an enormous gap between the West and the
East in terms of economic development and progress.
"We must now work towards narrowing that gap and elevating the
quality of life for our people. If we capitalize on our strengths
as a region, and if we work together, we can achieve wonders."
Urbanization Trend in Asia
======================================================
Rank City Pop. in 2000 Pop. in 2015 % increase
(in millions) (in millions)
======================================================
1. Tokyo 26.4 27.2 3.0
5. Mumbai 16.1 22.6 40.7
7. Calcutta 13.1 17.0 29.8
8. Shanghai 12.9 13.6 5.4
9. Dhaka 12.5 22.8 82.4
10. New Delhi 12.4 21.0 69.3
12. Jakarta 11.0 17.3 57.3
13. Osaka 11.0 11.0 0.0
14. Beijing 10.8 11.7 8.3
16. Karachi 10.0 16.2 6.2
17. Manila 9.9 12.6 27.3
18. Seoul 9.9 9.9 0.0
Source: UNDP