Sustainable development meeting planned in Bali
Sustainable development meeting planned in Bali
Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali
Indonesia will host a ministerial-level gathering of the
Preparatory Committee Meeting of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development next month, with United Nations officials praising
arrangements for the event.
JoAnne DiSano, the director of the United Nations division for
sustainable development, told journalists here on Tuesday a UN
team was satisfied with accommodations for the as many as 6,000
delegates from 189 countries who are expected to attend the
gathering at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) in
Nusa Dua from May 27 through June 7.
The Bali meeting will precede the World Summit on Sustainable
Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, from Aug. 26 to Sept.
4.
The aim of the summit is to review how far governments have
come in promoting sustainable development, and to seek measures
to deal with development-related issues such as poverty, communal
diseases and environmental destruction.
"The ministerial-level meeting in Bali will be very important.
It is not meant to be a talkfest but an action-oriented meeting
which is expected to yield political declarations, action agenda
and partnership documentation," said DiSano.
She also revealed that it was not merely a meeting on the
environment, but an integrated meeting that would deal with
economic, social and environmental issues.
Bali, as the host of the international gathering, is expected
to reap both short and long-term benefits from the meeting.
"Bali is a proper place for the meeting, where delegates can
concentrate in a leisurely atmosphere. They can also learn about
different cultures and religions," she added.
Jakarta was initially tapped to host the meeting, but the
venue was changed three months ago, with some sources citing
security concerns as the reason.
Former minister Erna Witoelar, who will head Indonesia's
National Committee at the event, admitted that it was a challenge
to make all the necessary preparations given the sudden change in
venue.
"We have been involving the Bali provincial government
and the National Police, especially when it comes to
security matters," she explained.
"I hope that the meeting will boost the image of Indonesia in
the international community," Erna added.
According to the former minister, the Indonesian delegation
will raise the issue of debt forgiveness, poverty alleviation and
the transfer of technology during the gathering.