"It is important that the government accept urbanisation as a positive phenomenon and an effective means for improving access to services, as well as economic social opportunity," said human settlements programme executive director Anna Tibaijuka in her introduction to the report.

"Government should take on a more central role in cities and towns in order to lead development initiatives and ensure that basic needs are met. It is clear that urban planning has important role to play in assisting governments to meet the challenges of the urban century," said Anna.

"There is now a realisation that in many parts of the world urban planning systems have changes very little and are often contributors to urban problems rather than functioning as tools for human and environment improvement.

"Against this background, the global report’s central argument is that, in most parts of the world, current approaches to planning must change and that a new role for urban planning in sustainable development has to be found," she added

The United Nations celebrates World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October every year to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

In Viet Nam, the population will reach beyond 101.6 million people in 10 years, 35.2 million (34.7 per cent) of which will live in urban areas, according to a recent human settlements forecast.

Nearly 1 million people is being added to Viet Nam’s urban population every year and the urbanisation rate has already reached 29.6 per cent.

The report said rising urban population is putting pressure on the already low-capacity infrastructure system of cities. In addition to poverty and unemployment, which are severe challenges for Vietnamese cities, rapid urbanisation has also led to large development gaps between regions, between rural areas and urban ones, and between economic development and environmental preservation.

Sources : Vietnam News