Bali Commitment in limbo as talks near end<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nNusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
Uncertainties continued to cloud the fate of the Bali Commitment
\nin the final hours of negotiation, as its draft plan on
\nsustainable development remained clogged with unresolved issues,
\nleading to either weaker commitments, or more negotiation in
\nJohannesburg, South Africa.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian delegation reiterated on Thursday that the
\ntalks would end in Bali despite statements by senior UN officials
\nindicating otherwise. Several non-governmental organizations
\nurged delegates not to compromise in Bali for a weaker document.<\/p>\n
Indonesian delegate Makarim Wibisono said that as long as
\ntalks were still going on, there should not be fear of a weak
\nBali Commitment.<\/p>\n
\"There haven't been any discussions at all to extend the
\nnegotiation (to Johannesburg),\" Makarim said. \"The mood here is
\nthat everyone wants to finalize it.\"<\/p>\n
Delegates have been in Bali since May 27 for the drafting of
\nthe Bali Commitment -- an action plan that will set the tone for
\nthe global development over the next 10 years by balancing
\neconomic development with social and environmental interests.<\/p>\n
The upcoming world summit on sustainable development in
\nJohannesburg in August is expected to attract over one hundred
\nheads of state who will endorse the Bali Commitment with a
\npolitical declaration.<\/p>\n
Yet the long-standing North-South division in the world reared
\nits ugly head in Bali. Developed and developing countries
\ndisagree on whether or not the Bali Commitment should get the
\nbacking of new financial resources.<\/p>\n
Debates on the financial commitments remained tough, said
\nLowell Flanders a senior United Nations official tracking
\nprogress on the negotiation.<\/p>\n
He said talks centered on demands to link developed countries'
\naid commitments during the conference on financing development at
\nMonterrey, Mexico, with programs under the Bali Commitment.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, developed countries pledged to set aside
\nUS$30 billion in aid by the year 2006 to help combat poverty.<\/p>\n
But Monterrey left open the question of how and where
\ndeveloped countries would distribute the aid.<\/p>\n
A number of activists raised concerns that some of the money
\nwould come in the form of foreign investments and trade
\nincentives rather than pure grants.<\/p>\n
They also pointed out that agricultural subsidies were six
\ntimes the amount of the Monterrey aid, and was harming developing
\ncountries, yet developed countries refused to cut back the
\nsubsidies.<\/p>\n
The Group 77 plus China, which is the developing countries'
\nnegotiation block, demanded that developed countries raise their
\naid levels.<\/p>\n
They also want the funds pledged at Monterrey to help finance
\nsustainable development programs under the Bali Commitment.<\/p>\n
Debates now focus on whether developed countries should go
\nbeyond Monterrey or whether the Bali Commitment should merely
\nendorse the Monterrey pledge.<\/p>\n
An Indonesian delegate, who refused to be named, said that the
\ncountry would not settle for anything less than \"beyond
\nMonterrey.\"<\/p>\n
According to Flanders, as of Thursday neither side showed
\nsigns of backing down from their positions, while in other
\ncontentious issues, compromises were being made.<\/p>\n
Among them is the debate on ocean affairs, where delegates
\nagreed to emphasize the exploitation of marine life on
\nconservation instead of sustainable use.<\/p>\n
But other outstanding issues, marked by bracketed and bold
\nparagraphs in the negotiated draft plan, continue to dominate the
\ndraft plan.<\/p>\n
\"At the rate that we are proceeding at this stage, we may not
\nhave a lot to include,\" Flanders said.<\/p>\n
Given the slow progress, he said, delegates might decide to
\ncontinue negotiations in Johannesburg, possibly discussing
\nfinance and trade.<\/p>\n
\"It's very possible that countries would like to keep things
\nopen until Johannesburg,\" he said.<\/p>\n
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) administrator
\nMalloch Brown echoed the NGO's calls not to be afraid to \"take
\nthe brackets to Johannesburg.\"<\/p>\n
NGO member Antonie Hill of Oxfam International urged delegates
\nto resume talks in Johannesburg, saying talks on finance and
\ntrade were going nowhere.<\/p>\n
\"Everybody is waiting for the finance and trade thing, until
\nthat is resolved or unless some movements happen there, the other
\nstep is meaningless. It's not real commitment, it's not something
\nthat's implementable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian People's Forum of local NGOs and groups
\nrepresenting among others women, youth and indigenous people took
\na harder stance, rejecting the Bali Commitment and boycotting the
\nJohannesburg summit altogether.<\/p>\n
They charged governments with excluding their interests in the
\ndraft plan in favor of business interests.<\/p>\n
He said outstanding issues in the draft plan of implementation
\nfor the Bali Commitment, had gone nowhere, and were overwhelming
\ngiven the tight deadline on Friday.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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