Intense efforts are made to enhance the capacities of national and local governments, private sector and non-governmental organizations in developing countries to meet the growing needs for improved management of rapidly growing urban areas.
Successful urban management of large cities is an immense task for developing countries. Many local governments have difficulty in providing even the most basic infrastructure and services. Cities have been built without the benefit of adequate planning or construction standards.
This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.