Upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development

The WSSD Prepcons have been working on text. But because the United States and the Government of South Africa are more interested in action and deliverables for the people of Africa, the people of South Africa, and people around the world, we really do want to focus on deliverables and action. It’s fine for governments to get together and set the parameters --- and I think we’ve done a reasonable job of identifying the priorities. But if we do not have the involvement and the engagement and creativity and resources and the input of people like you in the private sector, NGOs, and civil society, then we will miss a great opportunity this fall at the Summit. So, when I look at the level of participation that we have here, the types of speakers, and you all, I think you’ll make a great contribution to the road ahead.

Let me just briefly state, on behalf of the United States, that we see the Summit as an unprecedented opportunity to define a new agenda, a new approach for how we’re going to raise the hopes and lives of people here in Africa and around the world. I say new, but it’s not really new; it’s going back to some principles and themes that have worked elsewhere in the world and we have the opportunity to find practical ways to help people in Africa and around the world. We are, as the Government of South Africa is, really bringing together the three pillars of sustainability -- economic growth, social advancement, and environmental stewardship -- in a way, perhaps, that they have not been integrated before.

I think the opportunity this fall is unprecedented, perhaps because of the important forums that have led us to it: not only the Prepcons, but our Forum on Trade, and what happened in Monterrey recently, which I think was exceptionally important in that we focused on total resources, realizing that development assistance is important and humanitarian aid is important. As you are all aware, President Bush made the largest commitment of an increase in development assistance in the history of the United States in preparation for Johannesburg and to build sustainable paths into the future. But looking to the private sector for investment capital and trade, and building domestic capital is key.

President Bush is committed to, first of all, security. As you know, the United States is focused very heavily on building security around the world, on developing sound economic principles that foster entrepreneurship. Our President feels very deeply about health and education as very important paths to sustainability and, of course, the whole area of good governance.

As we have worked in the United States and with other countries around the world, it is obvious there are some priorities surfacing that countries would like to focus on. I would say the top three priorities are health, energy, and water. Obviously, there are other categories -- water purification, food, forestry, oceans, desertification, and biodiversity -- which we can also make important commitments to, but health, water, and energy seem to be coalescing themes and that’s where we need your help and your input. Government, as I stated, simply cannot do this alone, nor should it be allowed to. It is people like you who need to help us now flesh out where are the opportunities, how to implement, who are the players, and what are the resources we need.

So I think that’s what today is all about. Again, many thanks for being willing to share your time with us. I truly believe, as does the United States, that Johannesburg offers an historic opportunity to shape a new way of building sustainability like the world has never done before.

Today’s gathering, with your help, will mark a very important chapter in building real deliverables and real objectives, real commitments that we can all gather in. We look forward to the results. Many thanks.