OREANDA-NEWS. Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Urban Development, and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation will deliver the inaugural address at the Regional Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Urbanization in South Asia in New Delhi tomorrow.

While only over 30 per cent of the population lives in urban areas in South Asia at present, a massive rise in urban population is expected over the next few decades. Between 2014 and 2050, India is projected to contribute an additional 404 million urban dwellers. This momentous urban transformation has profound implications for South Asia and the broader Asia and the Pacific region. To facilitate a better understanding of the urgent urban challenges facing policymakers, and the commitments needed to address related issues, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) -- in collaboration with the National Institute of Urban Affairs and with support from the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, is convening a Regional Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Urbanization in South Asia on 17-18 December 2014 in New Delhi.

The policy dialogue will look at ways to shape low-carbon, inclusive and sustainable cities drawing on regional lessons and experiences. The outcome of the meeting will feed into regional preparations for the regional Asia-Pacific Urban Forum to be held in 2015 and the global Habitat III meeting in 2016.