Governance as a Foundation for Sustainable Development

The World Summit on Sustainable Development, in the view of the United States, must provide positive, forward-looking leadership for domestic efforts and multilateral cooperation in the years to come. We want to eradicate poverty and secure human health worldwide. We want to protect our global environment and manage our natural resources in a sustainable way. We want to extend on a global scale the benefits of globalization and information resources. Moreover, we want to see democracy and free markets extended to all parts of the globe. These are our key goals.

But it is not enough to espouse laudable goals without providing the means for their realization. Otherwise, sustainable development would become nothing more than rhetoric. That is why we believe governance in all of its institutional and decision-making aspects is one of the central themes of our ministerial statement. Indeed, good governance is the indispensable foundation for sustainable development.

Unfortunately, the basic tenets of good governance are not implemented globally. In our region, we often take for granted the rule of law, anticorruption, participation, transparency, rational management of resources, intelligent decision making, accountability of decision makers, commitment to education and public health. Without this stable foundation, countries cannot attract investment, cannot sustain poverty reduction, cannot protect the environment, cannot ensure social development, and cannot secure their citizens’ trust.

The paper we will share today outlines the essential features of domestic governance in the WSSD context. Let me share with you some of those components:

• First, capacity building: Governments must make the investment required to establish the essential infrastructure to promote international trade and manage domestic finances and resources, including human resources.

• Second, is the issue of effective institutions: To meet social, economic and environmental goals, a country needs a public administration that makes policy objectively and rationally and implements laws fairly. An independent and fair judiciary is critical as well.

• Third, is the issue of public access to information: Well-informed citizens are in a better position to understand the impact of their own activities and the complex trade-offs that underlie many environmental decisions.

• Fourth, is informed and science-based decision-making: Science and the scientific method must play a critical and guiding role in policy decisions.

• Fifth, is public participation, coordination, and partnerships: Individuals are the true engines of sustainable development. Governments can promote meaningful public participation in policy decisions by facilitating interaction between government and stakeholders.

• Sixth, is the access to justice and enforcement: Appropriate laws on the books must be matched with effective enforcement.

Sustainable development begins at home. Without the foundation of good governance, no amount of outside assistance will produce sustainable development. The governance agenda is not about lecturing; it is about building partnerships to get results, domestically, bilaterally, regionally and globally. The World Summit needs to capitalize on the growing awareness of the link between governance and sustainable development to create these partnerships between developed and developing countries. Thank you.