UN WORKSHOP FOR COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION PROPOSES KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TAKING FORWARD JOHANNESBURG SUMMIT OUTCOMES

UN WORKSHOP FOR COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION PROPOSES KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR TAKING FORWARD JOHANNESBURG SUMMIT OUTCOMES

ISTANBUL, 18 September –- A total of 80 people from 24 countries participated at a workshop for countries with economies in transition that successfully concluded today with a set of recommendations aimed at helping these countries to improve governance structures for implementing the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg a year ago.

The workshop, which took place in Istanbul from 16 to 18 September, was hosted by the State Planning Organization of Turkey and organized in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.  Halil Ibrahim Akça, Deputy Under-Secretary of State of the Turkish State Planning Organization, chaired the workshop.

At the opening session, Abdullatif Sener, Minister of State and Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, welcomed participants and commented on the importance of having a workshop on this subject at this time.  The Minister pointed out the importance of attaining good governance through its basic principles including transparency, accountability, partnership, subsidiarity and legitimacy.  He said, “Good governance attracts foreign investors, better resources, more production, growth, job opportunities and welfare.  Transparency in the public sector and efficiency are the main targets for public reform.”

JoAnne DiSano, Director of the Division for Sustainable Development said, “I am delighted at the strong participation and at the breadth and depth of dialogue that we have seen at this important workshop.  Countries in this region are faced with particular challenges with regard to implementing the outcomes from WSSD.  This meeting has provided an important opportunity for governments, non-government actors and inter-governmental organizations across this region to exchange experiences and ideas in an open and participatory way.”

At the workshop sessions, delegates exchanged experiences from their own countries then focused on a series of key issues related to governance and the implementation of sustainable development goals and objectives, such as institutional arrangements and the role of regional organizations.  There was also a session dedicated to the role of civil society and the private sector.  The workshop was moderated by Lowell Flanders.

Participants at the workshop made a number of important recommendations, such as the need to raise awareness of sustainable development, increase transparency of strategic-planning processes and the engagement of civil society in the implementation process at all levels, as well as the need for governments, civil society and the private sector to work together in partnership to implement intergovernmental commitments made at Johannesburg and the Earth Summit.

These recommendations will be included in the final report of the meeting which will be presented at the twelfth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, to be held during April 2004 in New York.

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