Mister Chair,
Ministers
Distinguished delegates
Dear colleagues
When this 15th session has opened, Switzerland has recalled that 15 years ago, the
global community has adopted in Rio a strong commitment to address the challenges
of increasing environmental degradation, increasing poverty and unjust distribution of
economic wealth and a strong commitment to sustainable development. This
commitment was reaffirmed 5 years ago in Johannesburg.
The CSD was established to provide political guidance on the most pressing issues
and catalyze effective action the ground.
We have indicated that in the past, the CSD did not live up to its mandate; and we
have underlined that today, it is more important than ever to address the pressing
challenges to promote and ensure sustainable development.
We have underlined that this session of the CSD has to make a difference. This 15th
session of the CSD should not simply be another session with a lot of talks,
discussions and night long negotiations, it should not simply repeat and eventually
even weaken previous engagements, but it has to build on and add value to the
commitments already undertaken. We have therefore called for a clear, focused,
concise and substantial decision.
Mr. Chairman
Now, two weeks later, we have to note that once again the CSD, that we together did
not live up to our task. Mr. Chairman, this text on which we all have worked hard over
the last days and nights
? does not add value;
? will, if adopted, catalyze no single additional concrete activity on the ground;
and
? it falls behind what we have agreed in the past in several areas, e.g. by
indicating in paragraph 26 that only poverty eradication and economic
development should be the overriding priorities of developing countries.
Switzerland is convinced and commited that all development has to be
sustainable, thus embracing not only social and economic, but also
environmental aspects and that sustainable development has to be the
overriding priority of each country.
Mr. Chairman, we do not believe that we can solve the pressing challenges by
repeating and weakening previous commitments. Therefore, also Switzerland cannot
agree to the draft decision.
Let me conclude by thanking all for the efforts undertaken, and by underlining that
Switzerland remains deeply committed to sustainable development and to the CSD.
And let me express that we hope that today?s non-decision will help us to cooperate
together more effectively in the future.
