A/RES/50/99 Page 2 Agenda 21, 2/ Aware of the fact that two thirds of the entire increase in world population currently occurs in urban areas, so that by the year 2000 almost half of the world population will be living in towns and cities, and noting with concern that high-level urbanization is straining the capacity of Governments, at both the national and the local levels, to mobilize the financial, technical and managerial resources necessary to sustain such human settlements, 1. Endorses the report of the Commission on Human Settlements on the work of its fifteenth session (Nairobi, 25 April-1 May 1995), 3/ including its resolution 15/1 on the implementation of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000, 4/ and the report of the Commission on the implementation of the Global Strategy; 5/ 2. Takes note with appreciation of the contribution of the Commission and of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) to the preparations at the national, regional and global levels for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), to be held at Istanbul, Turkey, from 3 to 14 June 1996; 3. Encourages the Centre to submit its contributions to the preparations for the Conference to the Preparatory Committee for the Conference at its third session, to be held in New York between 5 and 16 February 1996. 96th plenary meeting 20 December 1995 2/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. I and Vol. I/Corr.1, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. III/Corr.1)) (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II. 3/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Supplement No. 8 and corrigenda (A/50/8 and Corr.1 and 2). Fiftieth 4/ Ibid., annex I, sect. A. 5/ Ibid., Supplement No. 8, addendum (A/50/8/Add.1). Session,