Denmark
PERMANENT MISSION OF DENMARK
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Statement by
H .E . Ambassador Carsten Staur
State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On behalf of Denmark
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Twelfth Session
High Level Segment
NEW YORK
29 April 2004
Check aqainst delivery
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
First of all, I would like to thank you for your leadership of the discussions at the
session so far .
It is crucial that CSD finds its ways after Johannesburg - with a strong focus on
reinforced implementation . However, as you have stated in your first part of the
summary from this session, there are a number of constraints to implementation . In
order to prepare CSD 13 to deliver a clear political message, the final Chair's
summary from this session must reflect a few but key constraints, challenges and
possible best practices.
Lack of sufficient local ownership of the goals and targets remains a key constraint .
The international goals on water, sanitation and human settlements must be
integrated h-ito the Poverty Reduction Strategies and national development plans .
Furthermore, reflecting this in the national budgets is important for attracting funds .
This includes both domestic funds and other funds such as Official Development
Assistance.
Mr. Chairman,
Another important point to make is that the 2005 targets on Integrated Water
Resources Management, including the development of Water Action Plans, are of
vital importance if we are to reach the 2015 targets on water and sanitation as well as
other MDGs.
We put a strong emphasis on this in our bilateral water sector programme support,
which include components addressing national water resources needs . In response to
the special commitment to assist Africa in achieving the MDGs and the
Johannesburg targets on water and sanitation, the Danish Government decided last
year to include Kenya and Zambia among the programme countries receiving support
to water sector development . Furthermore, Denmark has recently decided to assist
Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave at the Baltic Sea, in developing an integrated water
resources management plan . All in all, we provide assistance in water and sanitation
to 12 countries, and we will invest more than USD 450 mill. in Official Development
Assistance (ODA) over the next 5 years in this field .
Mr. Chairman,
Next year CSD 13 will decide on policy recommendations to enhance actions that
should be taken to strengthen implementation . The time between CSD 12 and CSD
13 is critical in maintaining momentum and should be organised with a view to
achieving our common objectives on water, sanitation and human settlements .
Later in 2005, a major UN event will take stock of progress made in meeting all the
MDGs. This event will be a crucial and defining moment, and CSD should contribute
l
to it from its specific perspective and ,N-ith a particular focus on all the elements
needed to reach the MDGs and the goals defined in Johannesburg .
Thank you.
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Statement by
H .E . Ambassador Carsten Staur
State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On behalf of Denmark
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Twelfth Session
High Level Segment
NEW YORK
29 April 2004
Check aqainst delivery
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
First of all, I would like to thank you for your leadership of the discussions at the
session so far .
It is crucial that CSD finds its ways after Johannesburg - with a strong focus on
reinforced implementation . However, as you have stated in your first part of the
summary from this session, there are a number of constraints to implementation . In
order to prepare CSD 13 to deliver a clear political message, the final Chair's
summary from this session must reflect a few but key constraints, challenges and
possible best practices.
Lack of sufficient local ownership of the goals and targets remains a key constraint .
The international goals on water, sanitation and human settlements must be
integrated h-ito the Poverty Reduction Strategies and national development plans .
Furthermore, reflecting this in the national budgets is important for attracting funds .
This includes both domestic funds and other funds such as Official Development
Assistance.
Mr. Chairman,
Another important point to make is that the 2005 targets on Integrated Water
Resources Management, including the development of Water Action Plans, are of
vital importance if we are to reach the 2015 targets on water and sanitation as well as
other MDGs.
We put a strong emphasis on this in our bilateral water sector programme support,
which include components addressing national water resources needs . In response to
the special commitment to assist Africa in achieving the MDGs and the
Johannesburg targets on water and sanitation, the Danish Government decided last
year to include Kenya and Zambia among the programme countries receiving support
to water sector development . Furthermore, Denmark has recently decided to assist
Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave at the Baltic Sea, in developing an integrated water
resources management plan . All in all, we provide assistance in water and sanitation
to 12 countries, and we will invest more than USD 450 mill. in Official Development
Assistance (ODA) over the next 5 years in this field .
Mr. Chairman,
Next year CSD 13 will decide on policy recommendations to enhance actions that
should be taken to strengthen implementation . The time between CSD 12 and CSD
13 is critical in maintaining momentum and should be organised with a view to
achieving our common objectives on water, sanitation and human settlements .
Later in 2005, a major UN event will take stock of progress made in meeting all the
MDGs. This event will be a crucial and defining moment, and CSD should contribute
l
to it from its specific perspective and ,N-ith a particular focus on all the elements
needed to reach the MDGs and the goals defined in Johannesburg .
Thank you.
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