Issued by: Ministry of Social Development
14 August 2002
Salutations
Let me start of by thanking the Honourable Premier Popo Molefe, representatives of the United Nations and the people of the North West Province for inviting me to this important Gala Dinner. I would have loved to be part of the earlier deliberations but due to prior engagements I could unfortunately only join you now.
This initiative happens ten days before the opening ceremony of the biggest international dialogue on issues of sustainable development in the world and exactly ten years after the first deliberations on similar issues in Rio. It is therefore, significant that the United Nations have chosen yet another developing country to host the second such dialogue, and even more importantly, that it is in Africa, home of 29 out of the 35 least developed nations of the world.
In Africa, 340 million people live on less than US $1 per day. The mortality of children under 5 years of age is 140 per 1000, and life expectancy at birth is only 54 years.
It is therefore significant that this province known for the humanity of its people as well as its mineral and agricultural wealth should host such deliberations at a time when the world is preparing itself to converge on Johannesburg to consider how to strike a balance between the need for human development, economic prosperity and environmental preservation. As in the build up to our democracy, the North West leadership has taken a bold step in ensuring that the people and the impoverished in particular are at the centre of the deliberations pertaining to sustainable development. I note with appreciation, on behalf of those communities and civil society organisations, that the North West government has added substance to government’s commitment to a better life for all by encouraging and facilitating dialogue in the build up to the summit and also by providing accommodation and transport to some of the civil society participants in the WSSD estimated to be R20 million.
Through building partnerships with civil society and ordinary communities this government demonstrated that sustainable development is not about academic discourse but about ordinary bread and butter issues affecting our communities on a daily basis. By the same token let me take this opportunity to thank the United Nations Development Programme for the support they have accorded our government over the years and in particular for the support they have awarded the North West Government in its attempts to develop a Sustainable Growth and Development Plan.
It is our firm belief as the South African government that sustainable development will only have meaning if it is underpinned by the quest of the WSSD to achieve the following:
· A balanced approach based on economic, social and environmental development;
· Global eradication of poverty as a key focus area;
· A coherent and implementable programme of action;
· To direct serious focus on challenges facing the developing world, particularly the African Continent, through pragmatic programmes of the African Union and NEPAD.
A sustainable growth and development plan requires a sound environmental management plan. A sound environmental plan is one that balances the need for economic development with human development imperatives and thereby forging partnerships with the private sector, development agencies and civil society at large. I am confident that these issues have been adequately addressed during the workshop and were located within the context of sound co-operative governance.
The significance of all these issues will be determined by their ability to provide a basis for solutions to issues that will be pertinent to the WSSD process - both for civil society and governments. These include:
· Finding innovative mechanisms to make finances available in the fight against poverty and underdevelopment, including debt cancellation in respect of developing countries;
· Enhancing equity in and access to the international trading system thus ensuring the meaningful integration of economies of developing countries into the global economy which would ensure market access, sustainable development and poverty eradication;
· Setting case- based targets for delivery of essential services, especially to the poorest of the poor, for instance:
a. To half the number of people without access to hygienic sanitation by 2015;
b. To ensure access to energy, including supply through renewable energy sources, by a further 1 billion people by 2015;
c. Setting of time frames and achievable targets for the restoration of depleted fish stocks.
d. Setting realistic targets for halting and reversing the current trend in loss of natural resources by 2015;
e. Appropriate transfer of technology by increasing access to technology by poor countries, through among others, access schemes and local technology development initiatives; and
f. Lastly, a balanced approach to good governance at all levels and a fundamental restructuring of international institutions for sustainable development that will ensure effective implementation of the WSSD outcomes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the WSSD will only have real meaning if it ensures that the 8 billion people living around the globe enjoy a better life. From the 24th August - 4th September the government and civil society will be engaging on policy debates aimed at achieving that fundamental objective.
The real significance of the Declaration that the North West Government and the UNDP will be signing this evening will be measured by the extent to which it gives impetus to the realisation of that objective.
Thank you.
Enquiries: Mr Mbulelo Musi
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