Focused on "Environmentally Sustainable Urbanization", the Meeting had a special emphasis on developing environmental planning and management (EPM) capacities for poverty reduction, in order to contribute to implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002), particularly the commitments of the "Coalition for Sustainable Urbanization". "Alex 2003" provided a unique opportunity for addressing these key issues, by bringing together over 200 participants from a wide range of city practitioners, analysts , policy-makers and the donor community from all over the world.