[governance] consultations on enhanced cooperation

[parminder]

Hi All

Find as enclosed an open letter to all stakeholders to participate in 
what is supposed to be an open consultation on 'enhanced cooperation' in 
NY on 14th December.

However, the process is hardly open. It does not seem to be even as open 
as many traditional UN activities are. Both the Tunis Agenda, and the 
CSTD/ ECOSOC resolution (quoted in the letter) speaks of 'enhanced 
cooperation' itself as involving ' a balanced participation of all 
stakeholders '.

It should be obvious that a consultation on 'enhanced cooperation', EC, 
(which is different from the process of enhanced cooperation ) should be 
even more open and participative that even EC itself. In fact it should 
be more or less, within limits of logistics constraints, completely 
open, though probably also structured enough that all governments, for 
instance, do get to speak all they want to (that is what they normally 
like to ensure/protect, UN style)

However, the letter says that non -governmental stakeholders will only 
be allowed to give written contribution, plus a very tokenistic gesture 
of allowing just one representative (?? whose rep) to speak during the 
consultations to summarize the contributions of all non governmental 
stakeholders (whew!) (in maybe about 5 minutes?). So basically they are 
calling for an inter-governmental consultation. This is not at all an 
open consultation, and i think we should not give it legitimacy as such.

In fact, the letter clearly speaks of a "consultation with UN member 
states, Permanent Observers and other inter-governmental organizations 
to be held on....."

So, it is simply not the "open and inclusive consultations involving all 
member states and other stakeholders....." that the recent ECOSOC 
resolution called for, which resolution has been quoted in the letter 
itself.

I think all non-governmental stakeholders should refuse to accept it as 
an open consultation, and write to the SG/ USG immediately about it. If 
no changes in the format are forthcoming they may all together even 
agree not to participate in the consultations at all - not even 
submitting written contributions, and forgoing the 'one rep speaks for 
all nongov stakeholders' offer.

On the other hand, if there are any genuine concerns of governments that 
the format should allow enough speak and discussion time for gov reps, 
which they may feel does not happen in fully open spaces, we can discuss 
and take them on board to devise a mutually acceptable format.

Parminder

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