Jakarta, 2 September 2014: The Government of Indonesia helda workshop for its Habitat III National Report at the end of August. Under the theme "National and Global Recommendations Towards Sustainable Settlements", the Jakarta workshop was convened by the Directorate General of Human Settlements (Ministry of Public Works) and the Habitat Agenda Partners Indonesia. The Minister of Public Works will submit the reportto the Habitat III Preparatory Committee Meeting in New York on 17-18 September. Habitat III itself will be held in 2016.

The workshop was organized to facilitate broader input on a new urban agenda into the National Report. This initiative follows upon the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between UN-Habitat and the Government of Indonesia, through the Ministry of Public Works, focused on national and regional strengthening partnerships for the Habitat III Conference in 2016.

"We all hope that the Indonesia National Report can show Indonesia’s achievements so far on human settlements, as well as provide recommendations nationally, regionally and globally towards a new urban agenda,” said the Vice Minister of Public Works, Hermanto Dardak during the workshop’s official opening.

He called for effective and broader inputs from academics, civil society and development stakeholders, both from government and non-governmental for the preparation of the Indonesia Habitat III National Report. He said that the report is also in line with the national objectives through the Medium Term National Development Plan (2015-2019). The plan aims for a 100-0-100 target; 100% access to water, zero slums and 100% access to sanitation. With this target, he said, the Ministry of Public Works seeks to realize livable and sustainable neighborhoods that are supported by accessible basic services.

The Habitat III National Report raises 6 main themes, which are Urban Demographic, Land and Urban Planning, Environment and Urbanization, Urban Governance and Legislation, Urban Economy and Housing and Basic Services. Some key issues that werefeatured during the workshop discussions include the opportunity of urbanization, urban mobility, disaster management, decentralization, improving financial capacity of local government and the 100-0-100 target for housing and basic services. The drafting team of the Habitat III National Report has engaged experts, academics, representatives of ministries and state agencies, community groups and representatives of non-governmental organizations.