ENB:08:22
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PLENARY
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES: Assistant Secretary-General Christopher Thomas stressed that no development model should be imposed unilaterally. OAS technical support programmes emphasize resource management, sustainable tourism and youth employment.
BRAZIL: Amb. Jo"o Carlos Pessoa Fragoso hoped that the spirit of Rio will enlighten deliberations here. New and additional financial resources and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies on favorable terms for SIDS are priorities.
LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM: Noel Sinclair urged the Conference not to forget the plight of Haiti, an island whose development process is in reverse. Human solidarity must be strengthened.
SINGAPORE: Amb. Chew Tai Soo said that one of the greatest challenges for SIDS is transportation and communication infrastructure development. At the core is human resource development and capacity building.
UGANDA: Anne Mugisha said that if this Conference could clearly define the means of implementation contained within Agenda 21 this would help all developing countries.
ESCAP: Executive-Secretary Rafeeuddin Ahmed noted that many SIDS have been liberalizing their economies, and while most have balanced budgets, inflation remains high.
JAMAICA: Easton Douglas, Minister of Public Service and the Environment, spoke of the economic dependency of many SIDS. SIDS are not mendicants, but States ready for partnership, with strong NGO, academic and civil sectors.
SAMOA: Amb. Tuiloma Neroni Slade said that the Pacific is the largest tuna fishing area and overfishing has a devastating effect on SIDS. He supported establishment of an entity within the UN secretariat to focus on follow-up.
GREENPEACE: Pene Lefale said that SIDS are the most sensitive barometer of sustainable development. He supported banning transboundary movement of wastes, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and finding new and additional financial resources.
Dr. Vili Fuavao presented a case study on coastal management in SIDS (A/CONF.167/CRP.5).
FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA: Resio S. Moses, Secretary of External Affairs, said SIDS must work together to identify common concerns and discuss the means to address them. This Conference is about commitment to action, not only of donors but of SIDS themselves.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Ezekiel Alebua, Minister for Forests, Environment and Conservation, said the momentum from Rio should not be sacrificed due to indifference and self interest. He raised the issues of poverty alleviation, transportation of hazardous wastes and sustainable timber harvesting.
ECA: Azm Fazlul Hoque said that of the 52 member countries of ECA, six are islands and three of these are least developed countries. ECA helps SIDS address natural disaster reduction and marine and ocean affairs.
EGYPT: Amr Ramadan said that the ability of SIDS to tackle their problems is limited. Additional financial resources and international support are needed.
SEYCHELLES: Amb. Marc Marengo said his country's development plan ensures that both men and women are part of the decision-making processes. Political commitment, financial and technical investment, and promotion of human resources are essential.
AFGHANISTAN: Abdul Rhaim Ghafoorzai said there are two major problems in the development planning of SIDS: the lack of adequate capacity for the design and implementation of policies and strategies; and a tendency to depend on external consultants.
UNIDO: Gerard Latortue said that UNIDO is willing to cooperate with SIDS on Programme of Action implementation in: sustainable industrial policy; clean and energy saving technologies; small scale industries; human resource development; and utilization of marine resources.
MALI: Mahamane Maiga said that there is a need to define adequate solutions to the problems faced by SIDS. Mali, as a landlocked country, shares with SIDS the high cost of transport and environmental vulnerabilities.
ECLAC: Swinburne Gestrade said there is a need for projects that are specific and relevant to SIDS, such as access to international capital on concessional terms and export compensation schemes.
NAURU: Kinza Clodumar said that SIDS are the curators of much of the world's linguistic heritage and cultural diversity. He noted that Nauru and Australia will sign an agreement on reparations for mineral exploitation.
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK: S.A. Olanrewaju said that the Bank is working on a special initiative for the African island countries. These islands need to be effectively integrated with one another and with the rest of Africa to enhance their development.
COMMISSION DE L'OCEAN INDIEN: Secretary-General J. Bonnelame said that the islands in the Indian Ocean are often forgotten. The problems facing SIDS cannot be dealt with on the national level alone.
COSTA RICA: Jos‚ de J. Conejo said that education is a key factor in sustainable development. He called for greater financial resources and mechanisms for horizontal transfer of science and technology.
SPREP: Vili Fuavao elaborated on the priority issues facing South Pacific SIDS, including: climate change and sea-level rise; energy resources; natural disasters; waste management; coastal and marine resources; capacity building; and environmental management.
CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK: President Sir Neville Nicholls said that the CDB has provided assistance in strengthening national environmental management, conference preparations, and NGO participation.
WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM: Pauline Tangiora stressed the issues of self-determination, sovereignty, unemployment, education, economic dislocation, abuse of land by developers, intellectual property rights, and militarism.
INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SERVICE: Joanne Penney deplored the omission of the drug dimension. She noted the effects of drug and alcohol abuse on islanders, the environment and the economy.
PANAFRICAN MOVEMENT: Waldaba Stewart urged that the Programme of Action encourage the creation of a Technology Bank and People's Earth Funds to support island peoples; and the recognition that racism and ethnic discrimination hinder sustainable development.