Issued by: The Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
5 February 2002
South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Mohammed Valli Moosa on Monday addressed the Media at the United Nations in New York about South Africa's approach to the Agenda of the summit and the country's state of readiness to host the World Summit.
In line with the country statement presented by South Africa to the Prep Comm plenary on Friday last week, the Minister reiterated the call for a global deal for sustainable development to become a reality. The Minister indicated that the Summit provides a real opportunity " to realise the vision of an equitable and prosperous society".
He summarized the outcomes of the Johannesburg summit as follows:
South Africa's views on a range of issues related to the agenda of Prep Comm. 2 are highlighted in the country" s statement.
On the Secretary General's Report
South Africa believes that the Report of the Secretary General is a fair and balanced assessment of the implementation of Agenda 21 in the last decade. It is the country's view that the Report correctly highlights the fact that Agenda 21 has neither been sufficiently nor evenly implemented, due to a number of constraints. These include the lack of implementation of commitments made in Rio, especially commitments around financial resources, capacity building and technology for sustainable development. The report also indicates new and emerging challenges that impact on sustainable development, such as globalisation, the role of science and technology, the role of information and communication technology, and biotechnology, and the threat of HIV/AIDS.
On the key focus of WSSD
The summit's success will depend on the extent to which it can lay a good basis to redress structural imbalances in economic power relations between the North and the South. The economic platform for development that we advance at WSSD must include better access for developing countries to markets of the North, including access for agricultural products, textiles and value added natural resource products; increasing investment for developing economies; increased resource commitment from development finance institutions; the deepening and extension of the debt relief programme to other developing countries; and technology development, transfer and knowledge sharing.
Similarly, the social development programmes that emerge from Johannesburg must address the need for increased access to safe water, sanitation and energy for the poor in developing countries, increased global food security; action to ensure universal literacy; and improved health care and a global attack on HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases.
South Africa believes that the environment agenda at Johannesburg must ensure a renewed focus on the environmental rights of the poor, and the implementation of conventions and agreements that are of particular concern to developing countries, such as the Convention to Combat Desertification, which has a particular relevance to us on the African continent.
On the key role of Nepad
In advancing these programmes we draw inspiration from new initiatives and partnerships at regional level, such as the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD. It is South Africa's view that NEPAD is the basis for a sustainable development programme for Africa, particularly in its emphasis on African ownership and leadership, and its bold assertion of a new economic agenda for the African continent. NEPAD also recognises the need for sound and effective governance, the elimination of corruption, and the establishment of peace, democracy and macro-economic stability as crucial building blocks for sustainable development.
The Need for a partnership
There is recognition that governments cannot achieve the programmes and outputs of WSSD alone - innovative partnerships with business, industry and civil society will be an important element at Johannesburg. The success of such partnerships will depend on the extent to which they are specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and time bound (in other words "SMART" partnerships).
The success of Johannesburg will depend on a properly managed global consensus between governments and between stakeholders; ownership and participation by global leaders of both developed and developing countries; and concrete outputs and deliverables within all three pillars of sustainable development.
On the Johannesburg Programme of Action
The time-bound measures that make up the programme of action must be co-ordinated, delivered and monitored by clearly defined institutional arrangements at local, national, regional and global levels. South Africa Believes that there is a need to:
The State of Readiness
South Africa will give a full presentation to the Prep Comm about the state of logistical preparations on Tuesday 5 February 2001. Speaking at the same media conference the Director General of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Dr. Crispian Olver, stated that South Africa is satisfied with all the logistical and security arrangements for the summit. A full presentation is attached for information.