WSSD+5 PrepCom 3-14 April 2000

World Summit for Social Development
PrepCom for Copenhagen +5
New York, 3-14 April 2000

Highlights from Tuesday, 11 April

In the afternoon, Working Group I finished an initial reading of Commitment 8, on structural adjustment programmes. In the evening, Working Group I began discussion on Commitment 9, on resource allocation. Working Group II debated Commitment 4, on social integration, in the morning. In the afternoon and evening, Working Group II addressed Commitment 5, on gender equality, and Commitment 6, on education.

See below for coverage of a side event on Debt, Poverty Eradication and the Copenhagen Commitments, including photos and RealAudio

Working Group I Chair Maquieira. Delegates considered the Chair's text on designing national policies for people living in poverty by incorporating social development and PSR goals. On improving coordination between international organizations, chair Maquieira said the issue of reducing negative SAP impacts be related to ECOSOC and Bretton Woods institutes and that improving social development be linked to the WTO.

Working Group I discusses Commitment 8 on structural adjustment

On improving coordination between international organizations, the EU proposed language on SAP integration of complementary social, economic, environmental and gender policies. Delegates agreed to EU language on exploring means of reducing negative effects and improving the positive impact of SAPs with a view to promoting social development objectives.

The US delegation reads the daily ENB during the morning session. Regarding the HIPC initiative, the US questioned SAP-HIPC links, preferring PSR debt relief under the HIPC and Paris Club initiatives. Delegates agreed to EU and US texts on preserving social capital and society's social fabric.

Delegates agreed to a G-77/China formulation to design economic policies for more equitable and enhanced access to income and resources to promote sustained economic growth and sustainable development. The Group also proposed text on considering the introduction of compensatory debt relief to countries implementing structural adjustment programmes.

Delegates from the G-77/China refer to Copenhagen language regarding the subparagraph on identifying social outlay needs and commensurate financing consistent with macroeconomic stability.

Chair Maquieira consults on text regarding structural adjustment with the Peter Lehmann Nielsen, Division for Social Policy and Development

The Holy See and Chair Maquieira

Debt, Poverty Eradication and the Copenhagen Commitments
This side event, sponsored by Social Watch, UNDP and UN NGLS. Panelists brought their experiences and perspectives drawn from the work of civil society organizations internationally and nationally in terms of grassroots organizations and advocacy work.

Marina Ponti (left), Mani Tese and Social Watch Network and Eurostep, Italy, said the urged taking the proposal for the currency transfer tax on board. She regretted that references to negative impacts of financial speculation remained in brackets and that some were calling for deletion.

Kamal Malhotra (right), Civil Society Team, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP/NY, said debt reduction, while not a sufficient condition for poverty reduction, it is a necessary condition. He said the HIPC initiative does not deal with systemic issues that created debt in the first place.

Lidy Nacpil (left), Jubilee South, Philippines, regretted the division being made between middle income developing countries and least developed countries. She said debt was used as a tool of exploitation of the South.

Yao Graham (right), Third World Network, Ghana, highlighted linkages between the WSSD and the South Summit in Havana and the spring meeting of the IMF and the World Bank. He discussed the specific situations of Mozambique and Ghana.

Filomeno Santa Ana (left), Action for Economic Reform, Philippines, discussed debt relief and poverty reduction in relation to conditionality and governance. He said governments must give civil society organizations a meaningful role in public policy.

Atila Roque (right), IBASE, Brazil, discussed the Brazilian experience and the disparity between rich and poor. He said five years after Copenhagen, not much has improved. He said economic stabilization has taken priority at the expense of social development and attaining a more equal and just society. He said women and the Afro-Brazilian population has suffered the most.

Linkages Coverage of the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen
A summary of the major issues
Agenda for the Second Session of the PrepCom
Secretariat web site with official documents and information for NGO participants
Secretary-general's Report on the Implementation of the Outcome of the WSSD
Summary of the WSSD agreements
Information on the WSSD+5 Special Session