Civil Society Lukewarm to Joburg Political Declaration

By Qurratul-Ain-Tahmina

“It’s okay, but …” pretty much sums up the NGO response to the World Summit on Sustainable Development’s draft Political Declaration.

The Global People’s Forum’s quick response to the draft declaration was that the document was okay in principle, but certain clauses needed to be clarified and others strengthened. Additionally, the language of parts of the text appeared to contradict with the draft programme of action released earlier.

In a brief and hurriedly called session at Nasrec last evening, some 50 to 60 civil society representatives gave their instant reactions to the draft Johannesburg Political Document. The forum plans to hand over their reactions and suggestions about the document sometime today after giving it a careful second check.

The chairman of the Civil Society Secretariat Gordon Bispham told Terraviva, “we want to resist any attempt to make trade a centrepiece of the Johannesburg Declaration. Some of the language in the draft document worry us on that account.”

Some of the significant initial responses are:

a) The NGOs want the clause on water to categorically mention that water is a social good, and will remain so.

b) Article 66 of the draft declaration concerns inclusion of the major groups in the process of implementation. But the NGOs find the definition of the “major groups” there to be too limiting as the text refers only to those groups which participated in the WSSD 2002. They also want the declaration to spell out how the major groups and stakeholders are going to be involved in the process.

c) The NGOs want the declaration to say which body will have the mandate to see to the implementation of both Rio’s Agenda 21 and the WSSD plan of action. They want the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to be that body and demands that the CSD be strengthened appropriately for the task.

d) The NGOs wanted the body monitoring the achievement of the sustainable development goals and objectives to comprise representatives from the civil society, NGOs and other stakeholders. The draft document makes it a government prerogative.

e) Self-determination rights of the indigenous people and that of those living in lands under military occupation must be clearly identified.

f) While recognising that foreign direct investment is important, domestic direct investment should also be promoted in order to encourage national private entrepreneurs.

Some delegates were keen on seeing the children’s voices properly and adequately reflected in the declaration.

Today, the Global People’s Forum expects to come up with its own final declaration too. The reaction to the political declaration will be in keeping with the Forum’s own declaration.