Sida has again demonstrated a leading role in urban policy with the 1 October launch of its new policy document, entitled "Fighting Poverty in an Urban World - Support to Urban Development". The document also sets a standard for clarity and brevity - the policy text is less than eight pages, dramatically increasing the chances that this is one policy document that will actually be read. The 2006 policy, which replaces the 1995 note, is based on a number of supporting documents, the most significant being More Urban-Less Poor, a challenging book drafted by SIDA's Goran Tannerfeldt and his colleague Per Ljung, and launched at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver in June 2006.

The focus of the new policy, guided by key national and international protocols like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Millennium Development Goals and the Swedish Policy for Global Development, is urban poverty reduction from both a poor and rights perspective, one which supports and encourages the active participation of the poor, the expression of their needs and defends their rights to a decent life.

Five key areas of integrated urban development support are:

• Integration of local and national development

• Local governance and urban management

• Infrastructure and municipal services

• Land and housing

• Environmental sustainability.