UN-HABITAT has announced that it will open a new office in Beijing, China as it expands the agency's Water for Asian Cities Programme.  The office, to be based at the National Training Centre for Mayors, is planned under an agreement signed last week with the National Mayor’s Training Centre of Ministry of Construction. Apart from office space and staff, the new partnership also provides for water and sanitation training programmes for mayors from China, other parts of Asia and Africa.
The Water for Asian Cities is a collaborative initiative with the Asian Development Bank and is currently operational in five countries - India, Laos, Nepal, China and Vietnam. Since 2004, the water programme has been working Nanjing, and this year it was extended to secondary towns in Yunnan Province. The Director of the Mayor’s Training Centre, Mr. Zhongping Wang, said he viewed the new office and partnership with UN-HABITAT as a long-term one aimed at helping mayors and their cities in many parts of China. UN-HABITAT said the new office would greatly assist in the ongoing programme activities and the expansion of the programme to Kunming and Guangxi. |
