WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1. WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Report from Fourth Preparatory Committee meeting 24 May – 7 June 2002

2. OBJECTIVES FOR PREPCOM 4 As with PrepCom 3: • Achieve action orientated programme • Achieve consensus on Africa chapter • Assert economic platform • Seek substantive commitments • Build links between type 1 & 2 outcomes • Keep balance in text between three pillars of sustainable development • Push specific sectoral mandates

3. SA delegation • DGs for DEAT, DFA, Agriculture, Land Affairs, DWAF, DACST • Foreign Affairs & SA UN Mission • NEPAD secretariat • President’s Office & Youth Commission • Departments of Provincial & Local Government, Agriculture, Arts & Culture, Education, Health, Minerals & Energy • JOWSCO

4. SA delegation(Ministerial segment) • Minister of Foreign Affairs (head of delegation) • Ministers for Environmental Affairs & Tourism, Housing, Water Affairs and Forestry, Minerals and Energy • Deputy Ministers for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Environmental Affairs & Tourism

5. Organisation of prepcom • Negotiation of position through G77 • Working groups on Chair’s text • WG1 dealt with Chapters 1 - 4 • WG2 dealt with Chapters 5 – 9 • WG3 dealt with governance • Multi-stakeholder dialogue • Dialogue on partnerships • High Level (Ministerial) Segment • Side events and caucuses

6. Text: contentious issues Economic platform: • G77 & China: inclusion of cbdr, implementation of Doha & Monterrey, additional resources for implementation, access to markets, trade-related technical assistance • Developed countries: inclusion of precautionary principle, attempt to dilute gains of Doha & Monterrey, emphasising domestic governance and domestic mobilisation of resources, downplaying ODA

7. Text: contentious issues • Energy: G77 (some elements) & JUSCANZ diluting energy targets, & renewables • Water/sanitation: contention around sanitation target, resources for implementation • Agriculture & food security: contention around “right to food” • Consumption & production: contention around application of eco-labelling/ life-cycle approach • Biodiversity: contention around actions to combat biodiversity loss • Marine: contention around equitable allocation of fishing rights to developing countries

8. Text: unresolved issues Further negotiations required on • Inclusion of additional targets and timeframes • Meaning of program of action • Links between type 1 and type 2 • Key principles (cbdr; precautionary) • Finance & trade (particularly relationship between WSSD, Doha and Monterrey) • Governance • Sectoral issues (climate change, renewable energy, living marine resources)

9. Political declaration • Bali only expected to deliver core elements • Initial attempt to introduce draft declaration independently of agreement on text • Elements discussed in Ministerial Segment • Broad agreement that declaration should: • Be concise, inspirational • Reiterate commitment to implementation of Agenda 21 and Rio principles • Emphasise multi-lateral co-operation in poverty eradication • Endorse implementation plan

10. Partnerships • Partnerships relate to type 1 & type 2 • Type 1: mandated by intergovernmental agreement • Type 2: voluntary, but within framework of draft implementation plan • G77: strong links between T1&T2; structured co-ordination and monitoring • JUSCANZ: laissez faire approach to type 2 partnerships, no structured co-ordination, no monitoring, no links with type 1 • Stakeholders supportive of G77 position

11. Agencies • General low profile & lack of technical inputs • Some agencies disgruntled when CSD introduced draft program of action for energy • Low profile in dialogue on “type 2” intiatives • Profile in side events only • Implications for UN reform

12. Multi stakeholder dialogue • Constraints: various parallel processes • Concern about limited government engagement in dialogue • Concerns raised about weak text, dilution of targets, no commitments • Concern about physical separation of government and stakeholder venues

13. Assessment PrepCom IV secured global agreement on framework for Summit, including: • Focus on 3 pillars of sustainable development • Action-oriented text • Targets based on MDGs • Agreement on the need for concrete implementation frameworks in key sectors • Elements of “deal” identified, not agreed • Broad agreement on approach to political declaration

14. SA highlights • Sound relationship with G77; SA provided consistent technical support in negotiations, chaired contact groups for G77 (trade/ finance) • Gained acknowledgement for playing “quiet” brokering role • Successfully hosted 2 side events (NEPAD and African process on oceans and coasts) • JOWSCO had high profile (report on state of readiness; excellent stand) • Cultural event well received; video message from President Mbeki

15. Further work needed Structured processes needed to broker agreement on: • key elements of summit agreement • bracketed text in the draft plan of implementation • draft political declaration • implementation frameworks to give effect to targets in key sectors Scope for SA to play leadership role

16. Way forward • Clarify respective roles of Indonesia and South Africa in lead up to Johannesburg • Process to broker agreement on text on trade, finance, means of implementation • Process on implementation plans in priority sectors (lead countries & agencies) • Process on political declaration • Strengthen engagement with stakeholders