Rio Group
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the countries of the Rio Group :
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Mr. Chairman, the Commission on Sustainable Development avails us of an
invaluable process to foster collective gains with respect to sustainable development . In
this regard, the coordinated approach to the consideration of the disparate issues
pertaining to sustainable development is undoubtedly among its strengths .
Mindful of the stature of the Commission in promoting sustainable development
at the global level as well as its considerable potential to contribute to the achievement
of agreed international development goals, including the MDGs, the Rio Group is
convinced that it is vital to preserve and strengthen the integrity of its processes .
Mr. Chairman, we have, in this Fourteenth Session, the opportunity to contribute
to this purpose by critically reviewing the progress that has been made in the
implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation . The Rio
Group considers, having taken into account operative paragraph one of ECOSOC
resolution 2003/61, which establishes that the organization of work should contribute
to advancing the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation at all
levels, that the treatment of specific issues should be examined in a balanced manner .
This approach will allow States to have a clear vision of the diagnosis of challenges and
possibilities for advancement in the implementation of the commitments made by the
international community regarding sustainable development.
The Rio Group wishes to emphasize that in the resolution mentioned, the
Economic and Social Council decided that in order to fulfill its mandate, the evaluation
to be made during the review sessions will be based, among others, on the Secretary-
General's state-of-implementation reports. Those reports should reflect the overall
progress in implementation, contain a detailed review of progress of implementation in
the selected thematic cluster of issues for the cycle at all levels, and indicate relevant
new challenges and opportunities .
Mr. Chairman, on this basis, our Group considers it pertinent to point out that
the analysis and debate on topics in the future should guarantee such balance, with
specific sessions scheduled to analyze such interrelations among the topics . At the same
time, we would wish to request the Secretary General to present in future sessions a
report on each topic to be analyzed by the Commission and, if considered necessary, to
prepare another document on the interrelations among them.
We anticipate also that in all the cycles, and for every issue, decision and relevant
commitment, we should deal with the means of implementation, as indicated in the
Agenda 21 and in the Chapter X of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, as
established in resolution 2003/61 of the ECOSOC . To this end, the challenges related to
fostering more meaningful cooperation, technology transfer, the transfer of resources
and capacity building remain issues of deep interest to our Group.
Mr. Chairman, t he issues under consideration in the present implementation
cycle of the CSD bear special importance for Latin America and the Caribbean . As we
have noted earlier, we see optimal benefit in maintaining the balance between the three
pillars of sustainable development, namely economic development, social development
and environmental protection in our approach to the consideration of these issues .
Accordingly, the Rio Group will participate actively in the discussions on these
issues in the coming days both on the peculiar merit of the individual themes in
sustainable development but also with a view to taking advantage of the synergies that
emerge from an integrated treatment .
Our delegations hold this review process as critical to continued progress in
achieving sustainable development . We look forward to working with colleagues in
securing common understandings and laying the groundwork for the success of future
sessions .
Mr. Chairman, I thank you.
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the countries of the Rio Group :
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Mr. Chairman, the Commission on Sustainable Development avails us of an
invaluable process to foster collective gains with respect to sustainable development . In
this regard, the coordinated approach to the consideration of the disparate issues
pertaining to sustainable development is undoubtedly among its strengths .
Mindful of the stature of the Commission in promoting sustainable development
at the global level as well as its considerable potential to contribute to the achievement
of agreed international development goals, including the MDGs, the Rio Group is
convinced that it is vital to preserve and strengthen the integrity of its processes .
Mr. Chairman, we have, in this Fourteenth Session, the opportunity to contribute
to this purpose by critically reviewing the progress that has been made in the
implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation . The Rio
Group considers, having taken into account operative paragraph one of ECOSOC
resolution 2003/61, which establishes that the organization of work should contribute
to advancing the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation at all
levels, that the treatment of specific issues should be examined in a balanced manner .
This approach will allow States to have a clear vision of the diagnosis of challenges and
possibilities for advancement in the implementation of the commitments made by the
international community regarding sustainable development.
The Rio Group wishes to emphasize that in the resolution mentioned, the
Economic and Social Council decided that in order to fulfill its mandate, the evaluation
to be made during the review sessions will be based, among others, on the Secretary-
General's state-of-implementation reports. Those reports should reflect the overall
progress in implementation, contain a detailed review of progress of implementation in
the selected thematic cluster of issues for the cycle at all levels, and indicate relevant
new challenges and opportunities .
Mr. Chairman, on this basis, our Group considers it pertinent to point out that
the analysis and debate on topics in the future should guarantee such balance, with
specific sessions scheduled to analyze such interrelations among the topics . At the same
time, we would wish to request the Secretary General to present in future sessions a
report on each topic to be analyzed by the Commission and, if considered necessary, to
prepare another document on the interrelations among them.
We anticipate also that in all the cycles, and for every issue, decision and relevant
commitment, we should deal with the means of implementation, as indicated in the
Agenda 21 and in the Chapter X of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, as
established in resolution 2003/61 of the ECOSOC . To this end, the challenges related to
fostering more meaningful cooperation, technology transfer, the transfer of resources
and capacity building remain issues of deep interest to our Group.
Mr. Chairman, t he issues under consideration in the present implementation
cycle of the CSD bear special importance for Latin America and the Caribbean . As we
have noted earlier, we see optimal benefit in maintaining the balance between the three
pillars of sustainable development, namely economic development, social development
and environmental protection in our approach to the consideration of these issues .
Accordingly, the Rio Group will participate actively in the discussions on these
issues in the coming days both on the peculiar merit of the individual themes in
sustainable development but also with a view to taking advantage of the synergies that
emerge from an integrated treatment .
Our delegations hold this review process as critical to continued progress in
achieving sustainable development . We look forward to working with colleagues in
securing common understandings and laying the groundwork for the success of future
sessions .
Mr. Chairman, I thank you.
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