[governance] consultations on enhanced cooperation

[Ian Peter]

On the surface I agree with Parminder.

Perhaps a parallel event could be organised for non government players and
the UN SG asked to nominate one person to summarise the inputs of all
governments in less than 5 minutes. Oh and governments could make written
contributions if they so desire which may or may not be read or considered
or circulated to meeting participants.

But seriously, we should write and express our concerns at the format.

Ian Peter



From: parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>
Reply-To: <governance at lists.cpsr.org>, parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:37:58 +0530
To: "governance at lists.cpsr.org" <governance at lists.cpsr.org>
Subject: [governance] consultations on enhanced cooperation

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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