Major Group: Local Authorities
Local government major group
Closing statement to the thirteenth session of the CSD
Friday 22 April 2005
Honorable ministers and delegates,
I am speaking today on behalf of local governments, as represented by the United
Cities and Local Government world organization inaugurated in Paris in May 2004, and
the local government major group coordinating body ICLEI ?local governments for
sustainability? an international network promoting sustainable development at the local
level.
We, as local government, hope that the governments and international institutions
participating at this meeting will fulfill the commitments they have made ? to ensure that
this meeting is not simply about a set of agreed words but one that has made real
commitments to deepen action on the sustainable delivery of clean water, sanitation and
human settlements.
At Johannesburg it was recognized that national government alone cannot achieve
sustainable development ? local governments and other partners should be mobilized. We
should be recognized as key partners in the implementation, follow- up and monitoring of
the commitments made here these last two weeks.
As has been recognized by the UN and many governments, enabling decentralization to
the lowest appropriate level ? more commonly known as the principle of ?subsidiarity? -
is a key means to establish good democratic governance and therefore it is crucial to
attaining implementation of sustainable development and the Millennium Development
Goals. We need you to help establish supportive national and international frameworks to
enable us to do our work, including through the provision of sufficient powers, resources
and capacity building.
We urge you not to betray the commitments made at Rio, Johannesburg, the Millennium
Summit and here at the CSD. We, as local government, offer ourselves as partners in this
process. We look forward to working with you in achieving these commitments and in
contributing to the forthcoming CSD cycle addressing climate change, energy,
atmospheric pollution and industrial development.
Closing statement to the thirteenth session of the CSD
Friday 22 April 2005
Honorable ministers and delegates,
I am speaking today on behalf of local governments, as represented by the United
Cities and Local Government world organization inaugurated in Paris in May 2004, and
the local government major group coordinating body ICLEI ?local governments for
sustainability? an international network promoting sustainable development at the local
level.
We, as local government, hope that the governments and international institutions
participating at this meeting will fulfill the commitments they have made ? to ensure that
this meeting is not simply about a set of agreed words but one that has made real
commitments to deepen action on the sustainable delivery of clean water, sanitation and
human settlements.
At Johannesburg it was recognized that national government alone cannot achieve
sustainable development ? local governments and other partners should be mobilized. We
should be recognized as key partners in the implementation, follow- up and monitoring of
the commitments made here these last two weeks.
As has been recognized by the UN and many governments, enabling decentralization to
the lowest appropriate level ? more commonly known as the principle of ?subsidiarity? -
is a key means to establish good democratic governance and therefore it is crucial to
attaining implementation of sustainable development and the Millennium Development
Goals. We need you to help establish supportive national and international frameworks to
enable us to do our work, including through the provision of sufficient powers, resources
and capacity building.
We urge you not to betray the commitments made at Rio, Johannesburg, the Millennium
Summit and here at the CSD. We, as local government, offer ourselves as partners in this
process. We look forward to working with you in achieving these commitments and in
contributing to the forthcoming CSD cycle addressing climate change, energy,
atmospheric pollution and industrial development.