HOLY SEE ADDRESSES THE U.N. ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

VATICAN CITY, APR 30, 2003 (VIS) - On April 30, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, addressed the 11th session of the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), a follow-up meeting to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

He noted that "it is important to recall the first Principle of the Rio Declaration, which states that 'human beings are at the center of concerns for sustainable development. ... The Holy See has often emphasized that the human being is central to sustainable development. We have to reflect on human ecology; we need to start an ecological conversion; we have to change our models of production and consumption; we have to examine seriously the problem of poverty with all its multidimensional elements."

He stated that "the task now is how to make the CSD contribute more effectively to real and positive outcomes; how to revitalize the importance of multilateralism, which is based upon the values of responsibility, solidarity and dialogue."

"There are many gains," affirmed Archbishop Migliore, "which can be attained through a broader participation of stakeholders and through the active involvement of all actors responsible for implementation, ... on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity as applied to global governance." He underscored the importance of "acknowledging that persons living in poverty must be considered as participating subjects. Individuals and peoples are not tools but protagonists of their future and agents of their own development."

The archbishop concluded by noting that "one of the principal novelties arising from the WSSD was the number of partnership agreements made by governments, international organizations and other stakeholders coming from business and civil society." In this regard "clear guidelines, criteria and appropriate monitoring mechanisms" must be set.

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