AfricaBio

Issue 2 – June 2002

This Newsletter is intended as a forum for information exchange and dialogue in the build-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Forthcoming issues will focus on major issues on the agenda of the nine major groups involved and other relevant issues as they arise.

 

¨      Outcomes of PrepCom IV

¨      Science, Technology & Innovation Forum Announced

¨      More on NASREC & the Global Forum

¨      Biotechnology & the WSSD

 

Outcomes of PrepCom IV:

As part of the global preparations for the WSSD, the fourth and final PrepCom meeting was held 27 May – 7 June in Bali, Indonesia. The overall aim of this PrepCom was to decide on what action will be undertaken and this consisted of two parts - Firstly: high-level negotiations resulted in agreement on three-quarters of the Plan of Implementation document (plan of action) for the WSSD. Text that was not finalised must be resolved at the WSSD, and it is hoped that agreed text is not renegotiated. The meeting was felt to be disappointing and highlighted major differences which must be overcome at the WSSD for it to be a success and for sustainable development to be a reality. A multi-stakeholder dialogue was also held, involving the nine major groups, governments and international organisations, to exchange perspectives on key issues of the action plan, including sustainable development governance, capacity building, partnerships and future priorities.

 

Within the draft Plan of Implementation for the WSSD, countries agreed on a host of actions needed to improve living conditions for billions of people and to protect the environment. What they could not agree upon is a range of provisions concerning time-bound targets and the means of implementation for the programme of action, including trade and finance issues. Some countries called for new targets and timetables for issues such as sanitation, renewable energy and restoring fish stocks, while others want outstanding targets and timetables to be met. The term "common but differentiated responsibilities" adopted in Rio, which highlights the differing capabilities and resources to achieve the same goals, is also in question.

 

The G77, which represents more than 130 developing countries, felt that they made significant compromises and concessions to reach agreement, but that this was not reciprocated by negotiating partners. Environment Minister Jaume Matas of the European Union said that the aim of the Bali meeting was “to seek concrete agreements with targets and timetables that could save lives and guarantee sustainable development. We have not achieved that, or as much as we wished."
 

Other views were more optimistic, such as Paula Dobriansky, the US Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs who was not surprised at the difficulty encountered. She welcomes the fact that: "Even though we have not been able to agree on every part of the text… we have not tried to paper over differences of opinion or avoid tough issues by adopting vague and what could constitute "diplomatic" language." Reassurance was also given by the PrepCom Chair, Emil Salim, who reminded participants that significant agreements had been reached, and that negotiations for most major international conferences are almost never completed before the event. Suggestions were made for informal consultations to reach written agreement on unresolved issues, as well as the need for political dialogue amongst key players before the WSSD.

 

The implementation document negotiated at Bali is only one of the major outcomes anticipated at the WSSD. Others include: a political declaration that will be adopted by world leaders, and partnership initiatives by and between governments, citizen groups, and the private sector to carry out the commitments that governments agree upon.

At Bali, countries agreed to "strongly reaffirm" their commitment to the Rio Principles and the implementation of Agenda 21, the results of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Countries also committed themselves to achieving the goals of the United Nations Millennium Summit, which include, among others, a commitment to halve the proportion of people living on an income of less than US$1 a day by 2015.

 

Within the context of Science and Technology (S&T), PrepCom IV was the first time the entire S&T community was globally represented since Rio in 1992. The Plan of Implementation for the WSSD highlights the role of S&T, including the six sub-sections of “Means of Implementation” which are: Finance and Trade; Technology Transfer; Role of the Scientific Community; Education; Capacity Building; and Information for Decision Making.  S&T is also highlighted in the sections concerning “Changing Unsustainable Patterns of Production and Consumption,” “Protection and Managing of the Natural Resource Base of Economic and Social Development,” “Health and Sustainable Development;” and “Sustainable Development for Africa.”  Two specific areas that gained significant ground at this meeting are capacity building specifically for S&T, and partnership initiatives.  The partnerships represent a breakthrough in the dialogue between the different major groups, which are now finding areas of common ground rather than putting up a defence of differences. One such partnership initiative involves S&T (scientists), business and industry, and indigenous peoples in a collaboration also involving UNESCO.

 

For more information on the PrepCom IV outcomes, including the full Draft Plan of Implementation, go to: www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/documents/prepcoms

 

Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation

for Sustainable Development

During Prepcom IV the South African Government announced that a Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development would be organised as a parallel event to the WSSD. This is at the request of Secretary General Nitin Desai. The objective of the forum is to provide a platform for highlighting the critical contributions of science, technology and innovation to sustainable development. It will bring together members of the S&T community, and policy and decision makers, including representatives of civil society and industry. The forum will run 26 August - 4 September and comprise of a series of workshops, seminars and exhibitions, presented at venues within the official WSSD perimeter of the Ubuntu Village in Johannesburg. More updates on this will be provided in future issues.

 

More on NASREC & the Global Forum

As mentioned in the first issue of this newsletter, NASREC, otherwise known as the Johannesburg Expo Centre, is the site of the Pre-Summit 19-23 August, the opening ceremony 23 August, and the Civil Society or Global Forum 26 August - 4 September 2002.

 

This is open to representatives of all of the Major Groups identified in Agenda 21 and is managed by the Civil Society Management Council (CSMC), an independent secretariat.
All groups will be welcome at the Forum, except those that have "a blatant disregard" for the principles of sustainable development.

 

The Civil Society Forum is intended to give ordinary people, and non-governmental and community-based organisations, a platform from which they can make suggestions about how sustainable development should work. The aim is to broaden support for the agreements that may be reached at the WSSD.  The Secretariat is charged to oversee the preparation and co-ordination of the WSSD Global Forum.

 

How it came about:

The South African NGO coalition (SANGOCO) initiated a national NGO process in December 2000. As a result of this, the WSSD Civil Society Secretariat was launched in April 2001 to oversee the preparation and coordination to act as a management resource to prepare South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world for the Global Forum. More than 50 000 delegates from around the world are expected to attend.

 

Main Outputs:

The main outputs of the Global Forum are expected to include:

Ř       A demonstration of World-wide support for sustainable development;

Ř       Agreement on action and commitment beyond 2002;

Ř       Stronger networking and experience sharing;

Ř       Broader exposure for civil society to the debates around sustainable development, including a better understanding of the key issues.

 

Events at the Global Forum:

Events will include a range of diverse events in support of sustainable development centred on key themes, plus side events and exhibits and summits for the nine major groups. The eight themes to be covered at the Global Forum include:

 

1)     Implementing, monitoring and enforcing environmental targets;

2)     Water, sanitation and energy;

3)     Healthcare, with a focus on HIV/AIDS;

4)     Poverty reduction, employment creation and food security;

5)     Democracy, human rights, conflict and sustainable development;

6)     Ensuring business accountability around sustainable development;

7)     Making the WTO, World Bank and IMF support sustainable development;

8)     Building social movements for sustainable development;

 

Logistics:

NASREC facilities include 42 000 m2 of interlinked hall space and a further 42 000 m2 of outdoor space. The Centre also has state-of-the-art conference facilities, breakaway rooms and an auditorium with seating for 660 delegates. The facilities also include banking automated teller machines (ATMs), telecommunication services, numerous restaurants and fast-food outlets and parking facilities for 25 000 cars at any given time.

 

The Expo Centre is approximately 25 minutes (31km) from the Johannesburg International Airport and 23 km from Sandton City where the official UN WSSD will be taking place.

 

The deadline for registration is 1 August 2002 and costs US$ 150, but Forum officials say they are willing to work with NGOs that cannot afford the registration fee. There are also plans to provide day passes so local residents can participate.

 

For registration of exhibitions and side events, applications (plus a fee) must be submitted to the WSSD Secretariat by the end of June.

 

For more details and to register online, go to www.worldsummit.org.za.

 

Media:

The Civil Society Secretariat has set up a Media and Information Office to help with the release of spread of information related to the Summit. The Office is also responsible for the accreditation and invitation of media persons involved in the Summit, the release of breaking news to the press and the control of the Media Centre during the course of the Summit.

 

Media persons wishing to cover the Summit must be accredited beforehand which can be done on-line (www.worldsummit.org.za/register.html). Applications must be supported by a Letter of Assignment. No application will be processed after 31 July 2002.

 

In-house disagreements?

Although there have been disagreements reported between competing factions of SA Civil Society, these are supposedly a thing of the past and plans are now on track for the one of the largest ever meetings of civil society. It is confirmed by one of the main organizers, Bheki Ntshalintshali, Deputy General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, that there is “