The Council acknowledges the changes that have taken place in Dutch development cooperation policy since its previous report. Nevertheless, it enjoins the Minister to implement the policy previously formulated with due despatch. In report no.103, the Council undertook comprehensive analyses and sketched the broad outlines. Here, however, it attempts to formulate policy recommendations that are as specific as possible, notably where habitat problems are concerned. It supplements and fleshes out the recommendations from its 1994 report and specifies them.
Emphasis is placed on the process-based approach and on increased popular participation.
It regards urban development that is more region and country-specific as essential. Without sustainable economic growth, poverty alleviation in the cities is bound to fail. Urban development policy is directly influenced by macroeconomic policy. As far as the donors are concerned, this requires coordination and the deployment of personnel with sufficient expertise. The Council would advise the Minister to ensure that such personnel are assigned to Dutch diplomatic missions to function as fully-fledged interlocutors on behalf of governments and other donors.