CSD-16: Toward Next Year's Policy Session (4 of 4)
Thanks to Hind Ottmani (at left), YLT Respresentative for Africa and the Middle East, for submitting this report on the second week of CSD-16 and beyond.
The UN Commission on Sustainable Development’s second week was mainly focused on the review of CSD-13 Water and Sanitation decisions, as well as interactive discussions between UN organizations, regional commissions, specialized agencies, Bretton Woods institutions and Major Groups around the theme “The Way Forward,” meant to open the path to further decisions and commitments.
A lot of cross cutting issues were identified as key factors in achieving sustainable development and in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in terms of access to water and sanitation. Cross cutting themes included taking into account gender equity and youth empowerment, as well as partnerships for capacity building and technology transfer, engaging stakeholders and strengthening monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation focused endeavours.
Click below to read about the Secretary General's key note speech and more on "The Way Forward" to CSD-17.
On Wednesday 14 May, Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General, gave the key note speech of the morning session untitled “The Way Forward,” during which he called for a second green revolution, stressing on the need for agricultural systems that are able to face climate change. Most particularly, he called for an African green revolution, enhancing nutrition and health on the continent, while achieving the MDGs.
Since that session and until the end of CSD-16, the statements made by the different delegates, civil society and international organizations’ representatives were considered as a basis for the 17th session of CSD which is going to be a policy session where important commitments and resolutions are going to be drafted, further developed and, hopefully, implemented.
As for CSD-17, it is going to be chaired for the first time by a woman, Gerda Verburg, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands, who has impacted the 16th session through her committed statements, calling for a more comprehensive gender approach in sustainable development, and for the inclusion of youth delegates in the official delegations attending CSD, among other brilliant suggestions.
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Update:
As part of current efforts to strengthen and better organize the Youth Caucus for CSD-17 and beyond, a Steering Committee has been formed by the two Youth Caucus Coordinators, Selene Biffi (ECYI) and Luckson Katsi, with the following members:
Information Disseminator: Makala Foster
Agriculture: Nicole Wires
Rural development: Katja Walter
Land: Hind Ottmani (ECYI)
Drought: HyunJin Jeon
Desertification: Binetou Diagne
Africa: Michel Cermak
Documents Coordinator: Vicnan P.
Lobbying Coordinators: Ivana Savic (ECYI) and Bernise Ang
Communications Coordinators: Didier Gleyzes (ECYI) and Alex Ticas
Youth Orientation Coordinator: Kiara Worth
Youth Structure Coordinator: Alicia Cundall
Also, Youth Caucus Coordinators decided to involve the following individuals as Advisors:
Melody Mirzaagha
Dominic Stucker
Luis Davila-Ortega
Vidar Ekehaug
Glad to see so many ECYI members and partners participating in this important group! Best of luck to all in your preparations for CSD-17!
Dominic Stucker
International Youth Coordinator
Earth Charter International
Costa Rica / Global
Posted by: Dominic Stucker | August 13, 2008 6:01 PM