By GINNAH MINI
The 7th Pacific Urban Forum (PUF7) being held in Port Moresby is giving Papua New Guinea the opportunity to raise the profile of urban agenda, according to NCD Governor Powes Parkop.
Mr Parkop, who is also the co-chair of PUF7, said in PNG, the national discourse has been mainly about the rural agenda.
He said 80 percent of PNG’s population live in rural areas, so the discourse was given to them.
“The urban agenda is either ignored, taken for granted or not given the attention it is entitled to,” Mr Parkop said.
“Hosting this forum, it gives us this opportunity to raise the profile of the urban agenda.”
He added that the UN Habitat had predicted that by 2050, 68 percent of the world’s population would live in urban areas.
“This places the urban centers at the pinnacle of global planning and development and highlights the significance of our forum.”
Mr Parkop said cities and towns would become the center stage of development and planning, which would give PNG and other Pacific Island nations huge challenges.
“Our discussions and resolution will ensure whether we (Pacific Region) are ready, and able to cater for this increase population,” Mr Parkop said.
“PNG must decide if we are to maintain the current demographic where majority of our people live in the rural communities or we allow the inevitable global trend towards urbanization to happen in PNG.”
The NCD Governor said it was important for PNG and the region to develop the strategies and decide whether to maintain the demographic or join the rest of the world to urbanization.
He reiterated that PUF7 would provide opportunity to raise the discussion on urban agenda and shift the demographic of 80 percent of the population to urbanization and 20 percent to rural areas.