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Working Group Reports Progress
By Judith Achieng’
Delegates from both industrialised and developing countries appeared hopeful Wednesday night that they would reach agreement on the issues assigned to Working Group II but acknowledged that there were still important points of disagreement.
Overall assessments by delegates indicated that an agreement would be reached, although debate on some of the key areas of social development and wordings of the draft document are protracted .
“We will agree on everything, but it takes time for us to balance each country’s needs,” Portugal’s Pilar Murao, who is also negotiating on behalf of the European Union told Terra Viva. “It is not easy for northern and southern countries to reach a consensus,” she said .
A similar feeling prevailed among some African delegates “ We have spent a lot of time discussing with each other. But the important thing is that we are going to reach a conclusion,” said Burkina Faso delegate Nikiema Delphine .
Despite the assurances, there are still a number of points that need to be ironed out between the south represented by the group of 77 and their northern counterparts pushed mainly by the United States and EU .
The working group has been negotiating a new document on commitments, 2,3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 made at the Copenhagen summit in 1995 .
Commitments 2, 3 and 4 deal with , eradication of poverty, employment generation, promotion of social integration, human rights security and protection of disadvantaged groups .
Commitments 5, 6 and 10 on the other hand, deal with the promotion of human dignity, gender equality in economic, political and cultural areas, attaining universal education, health and the promotion of a framework for international, regional and sub-regional co-operation in promotion of sustainable development .
The main contentious issue remaining is commitment 4, which stresses the need to address the structural causes of and prevention of armed conflict, rule of law, democracy, respect for human rights and respect for territorial integrity .
An agreement is yet to be reached on the wording of paragraph 66 under this commitment as the G-77 countries feel that it is, in effect, being used by developed countries as a tool for control over the south .
The European Union and the United States have also proposed to delete paragraph 69 under this section, which proposes measures to end foreign aggression and occupation which it identifies as a serious impediment to social development. The item, which is supported by the G-77, also proposes the withdrawal of all foreign troops in countries affected by armed conflict.
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The 1996 Copenhagen Social Summit final report in English, French and Spanish.