Sudan
1
Contribution of the Republic of the Sudan
Delivered by
Ambassador Nadia M. Osman, before
The Second Preparatory Meeting of the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development (PreCom2)
7- 8 March 2011- New York
2
In terms of our main expectations of this Second Preparatory Conference of Rio Plus 20,
we hope it will allow for an interactive dynamic discussion on the Objective and
Themes of the Conference, and the expected results of this process, and the contents and
formats of the outcome document, which my delegation hope that it will be actionoriented
and forward looking.
On the Objective of the Conferences,
· Our term of reference is Resolution 64/236, which stipulates that the main
objective of the Conference is, “to secure renewed political commitment for
sustainable development, to assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps
in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable
development”. We believe that this must be discussed within the context of the
new and emerging challenges, as our world has indeed changed since 1992, (the
international financial and economic crisis, energy crisis, climate change,
desertification and land degradation, loss of biodiversity, the increasing frequency
and intensity of natural disasters), to name a few. These challenges constitute
impediments to the achievement of sustainable development.
· There are several critical gaps with regard to the fulfillment of international
commitments related to the achievement of sustainable development, especially in
the areas of finance, trade investment, capacity building, technology transfer.
Since 1992, official development assistance (ODA) has declined. External debt
remains a real obstacle seriously limiting the development prospects of our
countries.
· We expect that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development will be an
important opportunity for the international community to strengthen
international cooperation and the global partnership for development, in
order to address these new challenge, and devise ways to prevent new crisis from
reoccurring, and will also enhance the central role of the UN in economic social
development, .
· We believe the Rio Plus 20 should help us reinforce the integrity of the three
pillars of sustainable development (economic Development, Social Development
and Environmental Protection) and their interlinkages, complementarity and
balance, and how can that be translated and achieved on the ground.
On the Themes of the Conference,
The Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and Poverty
eradication,
3
· As is clear from current discussions, there is no clear and consensual definition of
“green economy”. There is certainly a need for policy space for countries to
decide their own national priorities and development paths, hence, we must stress
the voluntary nature of any policy choices to be undertaken, and that no one- size
fits all..
· We also re-emphasize the central over riding objective of poverty eradication, and
the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities, and the need to change the unsustainable patterns of production and
consumptions, with developed countries taking the lead. We also caution against
the use of “green economy” to impose any trade barriers, such as green
protectionism and conditionality.
· Having said this, Sudan has been moving along a cleaner development path,
despite the many challenges it is facing. Sudan has been developing the country’s
huge potential of renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind and
hydropower energy, and raising awareness to the environmental implications of
proceeding along unsustainable development paths, but urgently needs the
necessary support, especially in the areas of technology transfer, capacity
building, and cancellation of its external debt, to liberate the resources necessary
for its development..
On the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development,
· My delegation believes in the need for an effective institutional framework guided
by chapter 11 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, while building on
the provisions of Agenda 21, as well as the Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Principles of the Rio Declaration.
· We need to address the fragmentation in the approach adopted towards
sustainable development at all levels. The Institutional framework for sustainable
development need to be strengthened, to ensure effective implementation. The
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the Commission of Sustainable
Development (CSD), for instance, as the central intergovernmental body of the
UN dealing with sustainable development, should be strengthened.
· Sudan had expressed its support in the past to the creation of a mechanism that
would help accelerate implementation of the decisions of CSD, which are often
reached after long protracted negotiations, but unfortunately, remain merely
words on paper waiting to be translated into action on the ground to help lift
people from poverty and hunger. We fully endorse the G77 and China statement
on the need to enhance the UN system’s delivery of resources taking into account
the needs of developing countries
· We also need to enhancing cooperation and synergies among all relevant UN
agencies such as CSD, UNEP, UNDP, UNCTAD, the regional commissions.
4
· We value the sharing of national experiences on challenges of achieving
coordination and synergy between different national actors at the country level,
especially given the cross cutting nature of sustainable development.
Sudan believes that the Conference will need to pay particular attention to the challenges
of achieving sustainable development faced by countries in special situations. Countries
emerging from conflict face unique challenges, especially in making the smooth
transition from relief to development, and require attention and support to achieve
sustainable development.
Finally, needless to say, while sustainability is both desirable and vital, it comes with a
huge bill. DESA estimates that a trillion dollars is needed annually for climate actions
alone. The UNEP Green Economy report estimates that around US $1 trillion to 2.5
trillion is needed in 2011 for investments for various sectors to promote the so called
green economy, and that the amount will rise to $3.9 trillion in 2050 (in 2010 prices). ,
It is therefore my delegations belief that Rio plus 20 must have at its heart the Means of
Implementation. This package of international commitments and support, which must
be urgently met, consist of the following:
i. The commitment of developed countries to allocate 0.7 % of their GDP to
developing countries in the framework of ODA must be met, as well as the
target of 0.15% to 0.20% of gross national income for least developed
countries.
ii. The need to meet commitment of doubling aid to Africa by 2010 as
articulated at the Summit of the Group of Eight, held at Gleneagles in July
2005.
iii. Urgent need for the international community to adopt an effective, equitable,
durable and development oriented solution to the debt problem of developing
countries, particularly through total debt cancellation, and increased
concessional financial flows.
iv. The need to fully implement the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology
Support and Capacity Building, the implement the provisions contained in
Chapter 34 of Agenda 21 and JPOI Agreements on technology transfer.
v. The need for a development oriented universal, rules-based, open, nondiscriminatory
and equitable multilateral trading system, and to
reinvigorate the multilateral trade negotiations, to achieve a development
oriented outcome of the Doha Round. We also call for facilitating the
accession of the WTO by developing countries.
Contribution of the Republic of the Sudan
Delivered by
Ambassador Nadia M. Osman, before
The Second Preparatory Meeting of the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development (PreCom2)
7- 8 March 2011- New York
2
In terms of our main expectations of this Second Preparatory Conference of Rio Plus 20,
we hope it will allow for an interactive dynamic discussion on the Objective and
Themes of the Conference, and the expected results of this process, and the contents and
formats of the outcome document, which my delegation hope that it will be actionoriented
and forward looking.
On the Objective of the Conferences,
· Our term of reference is Resolution 64/236, which stipulates that the main
objective of the Conference is, “to secure renewed political commitment for
sustainable development, to assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps
in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable
development”. We believe that this must be discussed within the context of the
new and emerging challenges, as our world has indeed changed since 1992, (the
international financial and economic crisis, energy crisis, climate change,
desertification and land degradation, loss of biodiversity, the increasing frequency
and intensity of natural disasters), to name a few. These challenges constitute
impediments to the achievement of sustainable development.
· There are several critical gaps with regard to the fulfillment of international
commitments related to the achievement of sustainable development, especially in
the areas of finance, trade investment, capacity building, technology transfer.
Since 1992, official development assistance (ODA) has declined. External debt
remains a real obstacle seriously limiting the development prospects of our
countries.
· We expect that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development will be an
important opportunity for the international community to strengthen
international cooperation and the global partnership for development, in
order to address these new challenge, and devise ways to prevent new crisis from
reoccurring, and will also enhance the central role of the UN in economic social
development, .
· We believe the Rio Plus 20 should help us reinforce the integrity of the three
pillars of sustainable development (economic Development, Social Development
and Environmental Protection) and their interlinkages, complementarity and
balance, and how can that be translated and achieved on the ground.
On the Themes of the Conference,
The Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and Poverty
eradication,
3
· As is clear from current discussions, there is no clear and consensual definition of
“green economy”. There is certainly a need for policy space for countries to
decide their own national priorities and development paths, hence, we must stress
the voluntary nature of any policy choices to be undertaken, and that no one- size
fits all..
· We also re-emphasize the central over riding objective of poverty eradication, and
the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities, and the need to change the unsustainable patterns of production and
consumptions, with developed countries taking the lead. We also caution against
the use of “green economy” to impose any trade barriers, such as green
protectionism and conditionality.
· Having said this, Sudan has been moving along a cleaner development path,
despite the many challenges it is facing. Sudan has been developing the country’s
huge potential of renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind and
hydropower energy, and raising awareness to the environmental implications of
proceeding along unsustainable development paths, but urgently needs the
necessary support, especially in the areas of technology transfer, capacity
building, and cancellation of its external debt, to liberate the resources necessary
for its development..
On the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development,
· My delegation believes in the need for an effective institutional framework guided
by chapter 11 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, while building on
the provisions of Agenda 21, as well as the Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Principles of the Rio Declaration.
· We need to address the fragmentation in the approach adopted towards
sustainable development at all levels. The Institutional framework for sustainable
development need to be strengthened, to ensure effective implementation. The
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the Commission of Sustainable
Development (CSD), for instance, as the central intergovernmental body of the
UN dealing with sustainable development, should be strengthened.
· Sudan had expressed its support in the past to the creation of a mechanism that
would help accelerate implementation of the decisions of CSD, which are often
reached after long protracted negotiations, but unfortunately, remain merely
words on paper waiting to be translated into action on the ground to help lift
people from poverty and hunger. We fully endorse the G77 and China statement
on the need to enhance the UN system’s delivery of resources taking into account
the needs of developing countries
· We also need to enhancing cooperation and synergies among all relevant UN
agencies such as CSD, UNEP, UNDP, UNCTAD, the regional commissions.
4
· We value the sharing of national experiences on challenges of achieving
coordination and synergy between different national actors at the country level,
especially given the cross cutting nature of sustainable development.
Sudan believes that the Conference will need to pay particular attention to the challenges
of achieving sustainable development faced by countries in special situations. Countries
emerging from conflict face unique challenges, especially in making the smooth
transition from relief to development, and require attention and support to achieve
sustainable development.
Finally, needless to say, while sustainability is both desirable and vital, it comes with a
huge bill. DESA estimates that a trillion dollars is needed annually for climate actions
alone. The UNEP Green Economy report estimates that around US $1 trillion to 2.5
trillion is needed in 2011 for investments for various sectors to promote the so called
green economy, and that the amount will rise to $3.9 trillion in 2050 (in 2010 prices). ,
It is therefore my delegations belief that Rio plus 20 must have at its heart the Means of
Implementation. This package of international commitments and support, which must
be urgently met, consist of the following:
i. The commitment of developed countries to allocate 0.7 % of their GDP to
developing countries in the framework of ODA must be met, as well as the
target of 0.15% to 0.20% of gross national income for least developed
countries.
ii. The need to meet commitment of doubling aid to Africa by 2010 as
articulated at the Summit of the Group of Eight, held at Gleneagles in July
2005.
iii. Urgent need for the international community to adopt an effective, equitable,
durable and development oriented solution to the debt problem of developing
countries, particularly through total debt cancellation, and increased
concessional financial flows.
iv. The need to fully implement the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology
Support and Capacity Building, the implement the provisions contained in
Chapter 34 of Agenda 21 and JPOI Agreements on technology transfer.
v. The need for a development oriented universal, rules-based, open, nondiscriminatory
and equitable multilateral trading system, and to
reinvigorate the multilateral trade negotiations, to achieve a development
oriented outcome of the Doha Round. We also call for facilitating the
accession of the WTO by developing countries.
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