"We propose that as we launch the future generation of cities committed to the CDS, the first generation should be given continuing support in order to encourage sustainability, and we should seek opportunities to organize another CDS conference as appropriate, to sustain current efforts," said Mayor Ortega of the City of San Fernando, Philippines. (For details, Fukuoka Declaration 2000)

In the less than two years that have passed since the creation of the Cities Alliance, city development strategies have been launched in 12 Asian countries with support from the alliance and the Japanese government: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

While technical expertise is provided to participating cities, the design and implementation of the strategy is the responsibility of each city's stakeholders. "CDS is an effective process of expressing the creative energies of cities and their leaders and provides a platform for a cluster of enthusiastic cities to seek excellence, sustainability and professional urban management," said Keshav Varma, director of East Asia Pacific urban and water sector unit.

Some participants believe that CDS must incorporate policies oriented toward the poor, while others stress economic growth as the driver. "In reality, a successful city cannot be based on one set of goals at the expense of the other," said Transport and Urban Development Director John Flora. "They are closely linked and neither economic development nor social growth is sustainable without the other."

"In the view of UNCHS," said Disa Weerapana, Acting Chief of UNCHS (Habitat) Fukuoka Office, "alleviation of poverty should be the overarching objective of all CDS initiatives. However, poverty alleviation cannot be achieved in isolation. Such efforts should therefore go hand in hand with economic growth and expansion of the economic base of a city."

CDS is now heading into the next stage of implementation. "As we progress to the next stage in the City Development Strategy Process, I hope financial viability will take a stronger role as we look to long-range sustainability of the successful city," said Flora. "In identifying projects and initiatives for implementation, it is essential that cities look to themselves for financial self-sufficiency over the medium and longer term.

"External grants are helpful in the initial stages, but cities need to develop reliable sources of funds at the local level through user fees, taxes and legislated transfers that can be relied upon to finance recurrent expenses and leverage capital borrowing and private sector investment. Development of appropriate revenue sources; efficient, honest mechanisms to administer revenue collection; and transparent accountability for expenditure of public funds must be a key element of CDS." (For details, Closing Remarks)

To operationalize the network that participating mayors have established, the World Bank along with the Cities Alliance is developing a "Mayors' Page" website which will be available through the Global Development Gateway.

In the closing session, having pointed out the importance of human resource development, financial bankings and the national-level policy coordination for implementing the CDS, MOC's Land Consolidation Director, Shigeru Komae said, "the Japanese government would continue to provide efforts and resources to the urban development of the Asian cities, and it would be supporting the building of information network where people call share information and experiences."

Participated Cities(See the Participants List for more details):
Dhaka, Khulna (Bangladesh), Curitiba (Brazil), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Changsha, Guiyang, Hunan (China), Coimbatore, Hyderabad (India), Bandung (Indonesia), Aomori, Fukuoka, Kanazawa (Japan), Kathmandu (Nepal), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Olongapo, San Fernando (Philippines), Colombo, Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia, Sri Jayawardenapura-kotte (Sri Lanka), Phitsanulok (Thailand), Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)

Sponsors: Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Ministry of Construction of Japan (MOC), United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS), The World Bank, The Cities Alliance

Partners: Asian Development Bank (ADB), International City Planing Association for Technical Exchange (INEX), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Nippon Telegram & Telephone East, Japan Program of Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)