Marrakesh hosts next October international forum on urban poverty

Marrakesh will host next October 16-19 the 4th international forum on urban poverty which will be seeking to adopt a social and economic approach to urban development.

A scientific commission set by the United Nations Center of Human Settlements will select among thirteen projects, debated by workshops, the best experience.

Some 400 participants from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia, the Arab world, Europe and north America will assess progress achieved since the 1999 Nairobi conference.

Two reports will be submitted to examine prerequisites for least favored social layers to benefit from globalization and factors to ensure an improvement of living conditions.

Participants will debate adequate policies to eradicate, or at least reduce, urban poverty and exclusion taking into account the role of infrastructures and the new information and communication technologies, employment, local finances, housing and integration.

The encounter is held by the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements, the Moroccan ministry of employment, vocational training, social development and solidarity, in partnership with the French foreign affairs ministry and the Cities Alliance.