The World Association of Mega Cities, Metropolis, in association with other associations of cities and municipalities has played an important role in promoting the acceptance of Agenda 21, the programme of action for the environment adopted at Rio ’92.

Montreal hosted the fourth Congress of the World Association of Mega Cities, (Metropolis ’93) from the 21^st to the 24^th September 1993.  The Congress, based on the theme, “The Citizen and Sustainable Development”, focused on various issues that confront the metropolis of today. Taking serious note of the possibility that large cities will become the dominant form of territorial occupation (50% of the world’s population will be urbanised) by the turn of the century, the Congress defined its objectives to enable the metropolises to discuss their experiences in planning and development and create conditions conducive to dynamic interaction between various elements of the cities.

The Congress established six working groups which dealt on diverse issues of a city’s health and sustainable growth and its place in the global society.

The six groups focused attention on:
Development and Expansion
1.Economic strategies and challenges of large metropolis.
2.Strategic planning for metropolis
3.Urban transport – the use of existing corridors for passenger transport and under-ground roads.

Development and Quality of Life:
4.Air pollution and health in large cities.
5.Information and education strategies for the management of solid urban waste.

Development and Interdependence:
6.Policies to enable low-income people to benefit from urban development.

The role of the citizen as an active participant in the process of the city’s evolution rather than a mere city dwelling consumer was the central theme of the Congress.  Decentralisation of power down to community groups was an important agenda for discussion.  In essence, the participation of citizen groups and neighbourhood units in decision making and law enforcement was emphasised.  The contribution of the urban poor in the economic growth and development of the city was recognised by al and the improvement of their quality of life and their integration into the urban milieu was a major concern.

The working group on Development and Interdependence focused mainly on policies for the benefit of the under privileged sections of the urban societies, the interdependence of the local communities and the reinforcement of the relations between them.  Land tenure, ownership, simplification of bureaucratic administrative procedures and innovative financial strategies was regarded as a prerequisite by most participants to improve the quality of life of the urban poor.  Emphasising on the success of the above approach Dr. Pronosol from Mexico City and Dr. Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Nuaim form Riyadh described the regularisation of many hitherto illegal housing developments and their subsequent physical betterment in the cities.

The general lack of initiative on the part of the citizen in the development of the city was taken serious note of.  Encouragement of individual action and reduction of the growing indifference by the citizen was a serious issue on debate.  Commenting on this Jean-Pierre Elonger Mbassi from Cotonou, mentioned the problems that the city, its citizens and the communities face that discourage ‘interdependence’ in the metropolis. The complexity of the city centres reduce an individual’s sense of identity with the city.  The acknowledgement of existence, especially of the under privileged, and a sense of belonging is of primary importance for generating within the individual citizen and the community the desire for ‘interdependence’.

The Congress sought to answer the following questions, of prime importance to the sustainable growth of mega-cities in the world of tomorrow.  How can the right balance be established, without recourse to excessive restrictions, for economic, social, and demographic development to take place favouring strong and lively city centres while allowing for harmonious relations between the metropolis an the region which surrounding it?  How can we establish a fair division of the advantages, responsibilities and the decision-making powers within a metropolitan region?  How can we ensure the recognition by higher levels of government of the distinct role to be played by the metropolis while at the same time ensuring its harmonious involvement with the wider society around it?  How can we ensure a happy symbiosis between the economic contribution of the city and that of the regions?  How can we ensure the quality of life in face of the social and other limitations found inevitably in a highly urbanised milieu?

Edith Gingras and Zeenat Niazi, DA, Canada