PRESS CONFERENCE BY PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT

Two working groups of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development had not completed their discussions and they would continue tonight, Committee Chairman Emil Salim (Indonesia) told correspondents at Headquarters this morning.

At a press conference held jointly with Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Salim said that Working Group I, on oceans and energy, and Working Group II, on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Africa, would continue their discussions following this afternoon's plenary meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which is acting as the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit.

He said that Working Group III, on institutional governance, had completed a compilation text that would be ready as an input for deliberation at the fourth and last session of the Preparatory Committee session, to be held in Bali, Indonesia, from 27 May to 7 June.  That session would focus on the final political document before the World Summit, scheduled for Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August to 4 September.

Since it would not be possible to finalize the programme by 6 p.m. today, Mr. Salim said, the extra time required could be found either through an extension, an inter-sessional meeting or by meeting a few days before Bali so that the final decision of Working Groups I and II would not negatively affect the session.

Mr. Desai emphasized the need to ensure that Working Groups I and II did not leave too heavy a burden for the Bali session, which, in addition to completing the political declaration, had to start looking at the outcome of the discussions in Working Group III, as well as elements of the political declaration.

He emphasized that the test of a negotiating process was not simply reaching agreement, but whether the text constituted a forward step and whether it met the challenge of the conference, which was to build momentum, political will, partnership and practical steps to implement sustainable development.

Noting that the required resources were now in sight following the successful International Conference on Financing for Development, he stressed the need for focused commitments around key themes that would clarify how resources from the commitments made at Monterrey could best be used.  That was as great a challenge as just completing the negotiations, he added.

Mr. Desai, who is also Secretary-General of the Johannesburg Summit, said a virtual exhibit had been launched recently to connect the event with villages or local authorities that had done innovative work in sustainable development.  It was an attempt to open the Summit to the world rather than limiting it only to those who could afford to attend.

A correspondent asked what realistic hope there was of achieving progress to counter charges by non-governmental organizations that the process was actually a

regression from the Rio Summit.  In response, Mr. Salim said that the vice-chairs of the respective working groups were trying to focus their discussions on deliverables, in the spirit of the mandate given by General Assembly resolution 55/199, which asked for an action programmes.

What specific issues were preventing progress in producing a document on which all could agree? another journalist asked.  Mr. Salim replied that discussions were focusing on energy, oceans, implementation in the fields of trade and finance, as well as the possible deliverables.  To what extent did South Africa's non-paper offer the required guidance? another correspondent asked.  

Mr. Salim replied that several countries besides South Africa had presented papers and they were all inputs that would eventually become a joint consensus.

Asked about other options for resolving outstanding issues, Mr. Salim said that, while he had emphasized to Member States the importance of finalizing the preparatory process in Bali, the results of the working groups must be at the expense of the Bali conclusion.

What had been achieved in the 10 years since Rio? another journalist asked.

Mr. Salim replied that, after Rio, practically all governments had established institutions for environmental management.  Agreement had also been reached on important conventions, such as those on climate change and biodiversity, which were being implemented.  In addition, numerous non-governmental organizations had emerged and there had been an increase in the involvement of the private sector in sustainable development.

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