Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Beware of the Buzzword...

Getting partnerships straight...

By: Juan Hoffmaister, ANPED

As the smoky halls of the UN basement welcome delegates back to the CSD, the word partnership starts echoing in the windowless halls. Before the assumption that partnerships alone will complete the JPOI trickles into the plenary, lets recap on what CSD11 actually called us to do. Before working as if partnerships will save the day, lets remember that “they are a complement to, but not intended to substitute the commitments made in Rio and Johannesburg (E/2003/29/1/21)”. They should not divert resources, attention, and responsibility from achieving the vision set in Agenda 21.”

Partnerships are not just business-as-usual, they must “be based on predictable and sustained resources for their implementation, should include the mobilization of new resources and, where relevant, should result in the transfer of technology to, and capacity-building in, developing countries (E/2003/29/1/22 (f))”

Lets also remember that this Commission “should discuss the contribution of partnerships” and not just use the Commission as an exhibition. If we use the word partnership, let us do it with the intention of “identifying and addressing problems… and providing further guidance,” not just as a catchy word.

Government must be catalysers for partnerships, and should not expect that a legal framework for regulation and enhancement will develop by merit of the market.

And finally, lets not forget that “Partnerships should bear in mind the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in their design and implementation”, they are not just profit-making enterprises. So, before you use the word partnership in this CSD, are you ready to step up to the expectations of the word?