World Summit 2002: Developments at DEAT

World Summit on Sustainable Development 2001
Developments at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

Contents:

Background information
Current developments
International and political developments
Media releases
Contact information
Related links

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

South Africa's national preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa
Report to the Ninth Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, 19 April 2001

1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

To inform the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development on the status of South Africa's preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002.

2. INTRODUCTION

2.1 The UN General Assembly has called for a Summit to review 10-years of progress achieved in the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Resolution A/RES/55 199). The Summit, to be called the World Summit on Sustainable Development, will take place in 2002 and will be hosted by South Africa.

2.2 Preparations for the Summit are being undertaken collaboratively and as a partnership involving South Africa's Department of Foreign Affairs, Department Environment Affairs and Tourism, Gauteng Province and the City of Johannesburg. A draft plan which sets out international, regional and national preparations for the Summit on both matters of substance and logistics, was approved by the South African Cabinet in February 2001 and provides the framework within which more detailed plans have been developed and are being implemented.

3. PREPARATION FOR LOGISTICS

3.1 Host city for the summit

A competitive bidding process was followed in the choice of the host city. Johannesburg has been confirmed as the host city.

3.2 Overall management of the logistical preparations for the summit

In order to coordinate the management of the national logistics preparations of the Summit, a Section 21 Company has been established under the registered name of the Johannesburg World Summit 2002 Co. Mr Moss Mashishi has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Section 21 Company. The Board of Directors consists of representatives from Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Gauteng, and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council.

3.3 National operations centre of the Johannesburg Earth Summit Company

A national operations centre has been established in Sandton, very near the main conference centre of the Summit. The contact details for the operations centre are:

Johannesburg World Summit2002 Co.
P.O. Box 783730
Sandton 2146
South Africa

Telephone (+27) (11) 303-8685
Fax (+27) (11) 303-8794

Website: www.joburgsummit2002.com (under construction)

3.4 Venues and accommodation for the summit

Industry commitment to competitive prices for accommodation of delegations to the Summit has been secured. Agreement with the hospitality industry has been reached to secure accommodation and rates for the government section of the Summit in the vicinity of Sandton City, which will be the hub for the Summit.

Venues for satellite conferences of the major groups have been identified and secured as follows:

Gallagher Estate - NGOs.
MTN Sundome - Local government and labour.
Nasrec - Business.

3.5 Funding mechanisms for the summit

Discussions will prospective donors have been started. A donor proposal document will be ready by mid-May 2001.

3.6 Branding and logo of the summit

The corporate identity process is at an advanced stage. Work on the summit logo and branding has been completed and submitted to the UN for consideration.

3.7 Information management at the main summit centre

A nerve centre will be established at the Sandton Convention Centre. It will contain the most sophisticated technologies to enable the smooth and critical management of the Summit.

3.8 Opening and closing events

Opening and closing events are scheduled to take place at the Johannesburg Stadium. It is a state of the art stadium with excellent security with a capacity of 50 000.

3.9 Media logistics

A state-of-the-art media centre will be established as close to the conference centre as possible.

3.10 Strategic transport plan advanced

Two transport systems have been identified: one for delegates and one for officials.
A hub-and-spoke system has been identified, with two transfer stations.
A high frequency shuttle service will be introduced.
A low frequency shuttle service on secondary corridors will be introduced.

3.11 Preparations for a safe summit are advanced:

The national security apparatus of the various safety and security agencies of the state is currently being drafted into a single national operational command structure.
Operation and contingency plans with logistical and human resource requirements are in final draft stage.
Crisis control plans are being finalised.

3.12 Procurement policy

A procurement policy is being developed to ensure black economic empowerment and SMME development. An environmental management plan to showcase South African best practice is also being developed.

4. PREPARATION ON SUBSTANCE

4.1 President Thabo Mbeki and the South African Cabinet are overseeing preparation on substance. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Environmental Affairs and Tourism are taking joint responsibility to lead this preparatory process through the Cabinet Committee on International Relations, Peace and Security. The Director-General of Foreign Affairs and Director-General of Environmental Affairs and Tourism are coordinating implementation at officials level through the Directors-General Cluster on International Relations, Peace and Security.

4.2 A National Substance Committee including representation of all relevant national departments, provinces and local government has been constituted. It is jointly chaired by the Director Generals of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

4.3 A National Preparatory Committee (Multi Stakeholder Advisory Committee) has also been constituted to advise government on preparation on substance.

4.4 Both committees are advising on:

The review of Agenda 21 and formulation of the national strategy for sustainable development.
National positions for negotiations.
Mobilisation of stakeholders.
National awareness raising activities around sustainable development.
Regional preparations.

4.5 Recommendations from these committees will be submitted to the Departments of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and Foreign Affairs for submission to the International Relations, Peace and Security Cluster for approval.

4.6 The committees will be serviced by a policy unit. The policy unit will also assist South African delegations to the UN preparatory meetings leading up to the Summit.

4.7 Stakeholder preparations for the WSSD are also underway. A Business Coordinating Forum for the Summit has been established by business and industry to coordinate their participation in the preparatory process and liaise with other international bodies. The non-governmental sector has organised themselves into a NGO Forum for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

5. SUB-REGIONAL AND REGIONAL PREPARATIONS

5.1 South Africa has been invited to co-chair (with Lesotho) the SADC preparatory committee for the WSSD at the last SADC ELMS meeting in January 2001.

5.2 An African Forum for the WSSD, as well as an Expanded Joint Secretariat of the African Forum for the WSSD regional preparations has been established by the Organisation of African Unity, Economic Commission for Africa, UNEP and a component of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

5.3 South Africa's national position, including the report and recommendations for strengthening the implementation of Agenda 21, will be submitted into the sub-regional and regional process, to contribute to an African position.

6. INTERNATIONAL PREPARATIONS

6.1 The United Nations preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002 will be coordinated by a UN Task Force under the chair of the Deputy Secretary General of the UN, Ms Louise Frechette.

6.2 A delegation of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development led by the Under Secretary of the United Nations Division of Sustainable Development, Mr Nitin Desai, visited South Africa on 28-30 March 2002 and assessed South Africa's logistical preparations for the Summit. South Africa's National Logistics Task Force on the WSSD will continue to interact with the Secretariat of the UN Task Force on logistical arrangements via Area Coordinators or National Key Contact Points on Summit Preparations.

7. BUDGET

7.1 Final costing of the event will only be possible once the legal agreement between South Africa and the United Nations has been fully assessed and finalised.