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| Statement |
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COMMISION ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2 March 1999 NOTE: Please check against
delivery Mr Chairman, I make this statement with the authority of the member States of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) to say that we have an important challenge before us. And I speak not simply of the time available to reach a meaningful result, but of the result itself; of the message we will be sending beyond this room, to Governments around the world and to the global community. Recalling the Declaration of Barbados, we must, and I quote the Declaration, "send a powerful message to the world's peoples on the possibilities of joint action undertaken with a sense of common purpose and partnership". That was the conclusion of our Heads of Government and representatives in Barbados five years ago. It was agreed that the sustainable development of islands was both essential and achievable. Since the Earth Summit, messages of this kind have been few and far between. The partnerships have been strained or not adequately developed. The collapse of the Biosafety Protocol negotiations only days ago is not untypical, as was the disappointing review of Agenda 21 in 1997, and the greenhouse gas reductions in the Kyoto Protocol being fixed well below what is required to stabilise global emissions. What will be our "powerful message"? In 1994, we negotiated a global platform for the sustainable development of small island developing States (SIDS), the first post-Agenda 21 forum on sustainable development. The Barbados Programme of Action remains true in every respect: a comprehensive statement of the special circumstances of small island developing States; and of the sustainable development challenges facing our countries at national, regional and international levels. The review of the Programme of Action this year presents an opportunity to reaffirm the Programme and the decisions taken in Barbados; indeed, to reaffirm the decisions taken subsequently by this Commission. We must identify the constraints and opportunities related to international support for the sustainable development of small island States and, most importantly, agree to an action-oriented outcome. This is essential to the message. We must demonstrate that action follows debate. So where should we focus our effort? What shape should this action-oriented outcome take. Rightly, we have been asked what progress has been made. At this point, let me thank the Secretary General for his efforts to prepare for this review. His report and overview provide us with useful measures of progress. Although some of the addenda lack the detail and, on occasion, the accuracy to assist these negotiations, the report deals with some important activities that have assisted island countries prepare nationally and regionally. We would like to highlight UNEP's efforts, with the support of the European Union, to develop Environment Outlooks for the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean regions as part of the Global Environment Outlook process. These are important benchmark documents for us and will be important to future monitoring and review activities. We must also applaud UN-DESA and UNDP's initiative in arranging for the Donors-SIDS Meeting held last week; and importantly, the efforts to ensure that SIDS/Net is well advanced and able to assist with the exchange of information between island States on issues relevant to these negotiations. As observed by the Secretary General in his summary report on progress, small island developing States have been making progress with sustainable development. The Secretary General refers to "perceptible progress". In the global context, I would say that given our size and the inherent and external constraints, this has been exceptional. From these reports we know of progress at the national level to mobilise resources and institutionalise sustainable development. At the regional level, action has been taken to conserve our common and globally significant resources. Partnerships with the international community have been constructive, although not entirely comprehensive. For example, limited funding has gone towards addressing climate change and sea-level rise, biodiversity resources, management of wastes and natural and environmental disasters. Current energy usage and replacement, including vital linkages with, for example, sustainable tourism remains largely untackled. On this particular issue, let me say that we believe the CSD should begin work on the elaboration of this linkage with a view to developing concrete proposals in preparation for consideration by the Commission of the agenda item on energy at CSD-9. These, of course, are major measures, and we recognise that the achievement of desired goals would necessarily be long-term and may take considerable time, even if resources were available. What is important, therefore, is not so much the expectation of rapid results, but for consistency in implementation so as to maintain the momentum. This will require that the Programme of Action be firmly placed on the political agenda at the national, regional and international levels and fully recognised by Governments and their authorities, and by civil society as well, as the framework for sustainable development in small island developing States The Donor-SIDS meeting last week has helped, very significantly we think, to identify areas of priority focus. From our side, we endorse fully the report of the meeting given on behalf of the Co-Chairmen, and the assessment that it was entirely worthwhile and productive in fixing on likely practical solutions. It seemed to our delegations that there was genuine commitment to the principles of the Barbados Programme of Action, and to the need for international action in support of the special difficulties and constraints facing small island developing States. We felt that the discussions were held at a high level, in seriousness of purpose and demonstrated responsiveness. In particular, we were encouraged by the participation of so many donor countries, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations; and we were greatly heartened by what they said. But, Mr Chairman, rather than a balance sheet approach, let me say that we are concerned about the fundamental constraints to making any investment sustainable. The Secretary General’s reports, which in our view is largely confirmatory of the results of the Donors-SIDS meeting, highlight that the efforts of SIDS need to be further supplemented by effective financial support from the international community, targeted capacity-building, improved coordination, institutional strengthening, and the transfer of environmentally sound technology. It is essential that the action-oriented agenda that goes forward ultimately to Heads of Government at the 22nd Special Session of the General Assembly will provide a framework within which to address these constraints for the future. We are challenged therefore over the next few days not simply with a review but with making a difference. A difference within the international community and the UN family, a difference for island people and one of lasting global benefit. We remain "small islands with big issues". As developing countries, our views are encapsulated in the proposals now tabled by the Group of 77 and China. We need benchmarks: a focus for effective coordination. We need to be able to clearly identify successes and failures, because the next time we review progress we must be able to say we made a difference. Let me say that the AOSIS countries are anxious to see that there is a process to ensure specificity and any necessary refinements for a results-oriented outcome from this Commission session and during the period between this meeting and the General Assembly special session in September. Mr Chairman, I end as I commenced. The message must, as I say, be a powerful one. Thank you. |