Statement by H.E. Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon Permanent Representative of Pakistan during Initial Discussions on the Zero Draft of the Outcome Document for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) New York, 25 January 2012

Distinguished Co-Chairs,

I join other speakers in felicitating you and the Bureau of the Rio+20 for your strong leadership and untiring efforts in producing the Zero Draft.

  1. My deep appreciation is also due to Mr. Sha Zukang, Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs and the Secretary General of the Conference and his team for commendable work in supporting you and the Bureau.
  2. Pakistan associates itself with the statement made by the distinguished Ambassador of Algeria on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
  3. I would like to make some additional points in my national capacity.

Co-Chairs,

  1. Pakistan is fully cognizant of the enormity of the task before us, compounded by paucity of time, to reach an action-oriented and successful conclusion to the negotiations, which are beginning today.
  2. I would like to assure you that both as member of the Bureau and as a delegation, Pakistan would remain steadfast in supporting your efforts to achieve a global consensus on overcoming the hurdles that have impeded sustainable development and achieving the objectives of this Conference.
  3. As a starting point for the process, the Zero Draft before us, represents the lowest common denominator of positions and views on the two themes and objectives of the Conference.

Co-Chairs,

  1. Not all global economic trends are positive. Global economy remains under the strain of deepening debt and financial crisis. It is ominous to note that confidence in global cooperation - as per analysis of the Geneva based World Economic Forum - has dropped significantly and that a majority of international pundits are expecting a major disruption in the next 12 months. Hence, the task before all us might become even more daunting in the coming months.
  2. The problems notwithstanding, a credible beginning has been made and we are confident and ready to forge ahead despite the difficulties.
  3. We are particularly pleased to note that the zero draft calls for “bold and decisive action on the objective and themes of the Conference”. We also note with keen interest the proposal to launch a regular review on the ‘State of the Planet”.
  4. Pakistan very strongly recognizes the need to strengthen monitoring and review of implementation of the sustainable development agenda. We believe that the task should very clearly be assigned to an entity like the Commission on Sustainable Development as opposed to launching yet another process to determine how to measure progress.

Co-Chairs,

  1. I would like to underline the following elements for reflection in the draft negotiating text to be presented to the first informal negotiations.
  2. First, an important remaining outcome is reshaping the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development over the next few years. We note that the zero draft captures the options that have emerged in the preparatory process. Some of the key ideas in the zero draft such as establishment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and possible establishment of Sustainable Development Council (SDC) are interesting.
  3. Having said that, I would like to point out that these proposals require considerable work between now and June 2012 with a view to reaching a common understanding of the purposes and objectives. We note that informal engagements have taken place on the concept of Sustainable Development Goals. However, there has not been any conversation – formal or informal – on the concept of Sustainable Development Council (SDC). We are not even sure how and why it is presented.
  4. Pakistan is of the view that the Bureau or the Co-Chairs should consider informal facilitation on these issues before developing the text any further.
  5. Second, our effort at integrating the three pillars would remain deficient without effective role and participation of the International Financial Institutions and UN led development programmes. A political buy- in by these international institutions is vital to our work. We would, therefore, propose that during the intervening period, the Bureau vigorously engage with the International Financial Institutions to forge a common perception on the gaps and how the existing implementation framework can be strengthened and synchronized.
  6. Third, the practical results of our effort hinge on the implementation at the national level. In our view, there is considerable scope of enhancing and strengthening the UN-led institutional set up at the national level. In this regard, we should consider reviewing the mandate of the UN Development Programme to ensure that sustainable development becomes one of its core priorities in the post-2015 global development architecture.
  7. Fourth, there is a need for a strong implementation framework along side provision of the means of implementation. As captured in the Zero Draft, transition towards green economy imposes additional costs especially on the developing countries. Meeting this additional cost cannot remain restricted to ODA framework alone. We should seriously consider identifying new and additional financial resources to ensure a robust implementation framework.
  8. Finally, as proposed by the Group of 77 and China, Pakistan believes that an integrated approach incorporating economic, social and environmental aspects is vital to confronting the challenges of sustainable development. To this end, we believe that the Conference should agree on a Roadmap that assesses the implementation of the commitments and reviews the progress achieved through its institutional framework by 2030.

Co-Chairs,

  1. Before I conclude, let me also make a few observations on the process of negotiations ahead. First, I believe that following the initial discussions and proposed amendments by various groups on the text as a whole, the Bureau should consider evolving an options text for the next phase of informal negotiations.
  2. Secondly, it is our view that the two co-chairs should lead the negotiations. However, some specific issues would necessitate a more focused conversation and negotiations. Pakistan would, therefore, urge the Bureau not to foreclose the possibility of informal facilitation on some specific issues with agreement.
  3. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate assurance of my delegation’s full support in discharging the difficult task ahead of you.

I thank you.