PRESS CONFERENCE ON CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM TO PRECEDE MAURITIUS MEETING

PRESS CONFERENCE ON CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM TO PRECEDE MAURITIUS MEETING

Preparations for a Civil Society Forum, which will precede the August Mauritius meeting, reviewing implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, was officially launched at a Headquarters press conference this morning.

Addressing the correspondents were Pynee Chellapermal, Chair of the International Steering Committee for the Civil Society Forum in Mauritius; Zakya Uzoma Wadada, Caribbean Coordinator; Gordon Bispham, Coordinator from the Caribbean Policy Development Centre; and Duncan E.J. Currie, who represented Greenpeace International.

Participants at the press conference said that the Forum would take place  in Mauritius from 27 to 29 August, prior to the beginning of the meeting on 30 August.  The overriding objective of the 10-year review in Mauritius will be to generate renewed political commitment by all stakeholders, including the non-governmental organizations and civil society, on practical actions to further the sustainable development of small island developing States.  The Forum will give civil society members an opportunity to conclude the preparatory process and prepare their input for the conference.  Four workshops will take place during the event to identify the critical issues in various regions. 

Correspondents were told that the Forum was expected to contribute to the development of the strategy at the national, regional and international levels.  It was also important to coordinate the follow-up and monitor the implementation of the meeting.  A series of regional meetings in preparation for the meeting had already taken place, including one in the Bahamas in February.  Preparations for the event and work on the political declaration were now under way in the Commission on Sustainable Development.

Mr. Chellapermal stressed the importance of the spirit of partnership.  Compared with what had happened after the 1994 Barbados Conference on Small Island Developing States and even the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, the civil society of island nations had been organizing at the regional level, taking the lead in addressing the issues.  Instead of waiting for the governments and the international community to take the initiative, “we ourselves have to be organized”, he said.  The role of civil society and the private sector, as well as the potential for South-South cooperation, needed to be clearly identified.

Ms. Uzoma Wadada advocated a people-centered and community-based approach to the implementation of such important goals as poverty alleviation, management of natural resources and sustainable development of small island developing States.  Efforts by governments and the international community should be accompanied by active participation of the civil society, she said.  She also emphasized the importance of adequate financing, and a coordinated approach to civil society participation.

Mr. Currie said that international non-governmental organizations should continue to play an important role in the development of small island developing States.  A number of non-governmental organizations would participate in the event, contributing their experience and expertise to its outcome.

Inviting “the whole world” to Mauritius in August, Mr. Bispham applauded the call for well defined regional initiatives, in which the civil society would be an active participant.  Its role needed to be integrated into the structure of national and regional decision-making bodies.  He also appealed to the island nations’ development partners to make contributions, which would ensure the success of the event.

In response to a question about resources, correspondents were told that, while a good relationship with development partners and the governments involved had been established in the course of the preparatory process, the challenge was for civil society to take charge of the efforts to mobilize international assistance.  One interesting result of the efforts for least developed countries had been that they had recently presented their own report to the Economic and Social Council.  He suggested that small island developing States civil society should follow that example.

Asked about the drawbacks in the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action, participants of the briefing noted a “certain lack of political will” and the failure to integrate the outcome of the Barbados Conference into national development strategies.  All of the State and non-State actors bore responsibility for the lack of progress in many areas.

Mr. Chellapermal said that financial assistance and transfer of technology had not been commensurate to the level of commitments made in Barbados.  Increased coordination and political dialogue were needed to put more international pressure on the donors.

Asked if the priorities had remained the same since 1994, Mr. Bispham said that, in Barbados, a global blueprint had been created to address the particular vulnerability of small island developing States.  While the possibility, indeed, existed to turn them into the picture of tropical paradise that many imagined, it was also important to realize the level of poverty and vulnerability there.  The question of sustainable development was still of great importance to the small island developing States.

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