Diapositive 1

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Sustainable development in North Africa
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few concepts and definitions
Sustainable development
simple definitions complex implications common
sense solutions
development that meets the needs of the present
generation without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs 1987
Brundtland Report
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Operational implications the three guiding
principles of Office work on SD
Economic, social and environmental components
Growth distributional issues between
regions/socioeconomic groups/generations
No sustainable development without at least
cooperation between countries and at best
regional integration
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Common sense solutions
Involve all stakeholders governments, the
private sector (SMEs), civil society (NGOs) and
demographic potential, researchers, regional and
international organizations
Synchronize national strategies with regional and
international environment
Call on facilitators PPPs, knowledge sharing,
ICTs
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Economic growth but not full potential ?
unemployment
Data in report on Economic and social conditions
Source UNDP, HDR 2007/2008
Education and training 1. Low productivity ?
low wages 2. Inadequacy bwn private sector
needs ? waste of resources and graduates
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Ecology doesnt mean just costs
Textiles garments sector a good
example Important in economies of the
region Challenged by globalization Good market
signals consumer needs and SD concerns
Environment protection considerations are
becoming as important as price and production
issues
Source Misc (see report).
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Agriculture and rural development Strategic/MDG
s Around 10, often more, of GDP 80 to 90 of
water resources 25 of labor force 50 of the
population Lagging Few, sometimes no, economic
activities Lack of infrastructure (education,
health, transport, elec.) Agricultural policies
worrying more about urban than rural Unresolved
debates Food security, virtual water, what kind
of income generating activities trade offs
between water availability, food availability and
prices
Indicators Vectors Actors
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Agriculture and rural development Exogenous
factors Desertification World demand, prices of
cereals Climate change Internatl community is
involved more than never before ECA World Bank
(green revolution since 2007) Support of
national initiatives (2626 Program, INDH)
Biodiversity and climate change Key indicators
wealth, common concerns within NA and between NA
and others Synergies with desertification
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Social policies Allocate the benefits of
growth Poverty prevention rather than
alleviation Spatial distribution (rural vs
urban subsidies) Generational distribution
(not only environment but also issue of budget
deficits, management of retirement plans,
changes in demographic structures-2025) Price
of LPG taxes and government budgets real
prices (optimal allocations of resources vs
purchasing power and competitiveness
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Infrastructure
Indicators Vectors Actors
Communication and trade Environment/Foreign
entity Natural resources
Energy
NA oil producing as well as non
producing Renewable energies, positive impact on
environment econ. CC and electricity shortages
as heavy reliance on hydropower Conventional
non conventional connections (TREC)
Water
Supply is important but managing demand is vital
e.g. ONEP Shared resources
Education, RD
Innovation, enable the actors (young, women,
researchers) Urgency to act now e.g. ?last
months conference of African Seed Trade
Association 10 years for new seeds
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Monitoring and evaluation Measure achievements
against objectives and adjust when necessary
Crisis management Otherwise development/survival
whole regions/countries at stake NA climate
change and seismic hazard
Knowledge management and sharing Manage
knowledge Disseminate knowledge Share
experiences, learn from others (successes
errors ECA, leading role, COPs
PPPs cost and efficiency for all actors
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Decision makers legitimacy
Youth demographic windows of opportunity
Women 50 and know-how in NA
Migrants, positive impact on development
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Private sector Engine of growth SMEs fragile
but yet dynamic
Hasnt reached full potential, loss of
opportunities NA Intra-regional trade low
Low share in job creation, public sector still
leader
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Indicators Vectors Actors
Regional and international organizations ECA
UMA CEN SAD Public goods Synergies between
the three conventions
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ECAs work on SD
Defining and analyzing Africa's priorities on
Climate Change Building consensus among African
countries (CSD and pre and post-Bali) ClimDev-Afr
ica African climate policy centre with Nobel
prize winner Pachauri Africa's Consensus Agenda
for CSD-15 Coordinated UN System Action on
Climate Change United Nations System Chief
Executives Board (CEB) ECAs active involvement
for preparation and during activities of Tunis
International Conference on Climate Change and
International Solidarity
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ECAs work on SD (contd)
CBD secretariat and UN regional economic and
social commissions sign MOU to mainstream the
objectives of the convention and enhance
cooperation
First follow-up in Nov. 2007 action with presence
of CBD ES to ECA-NA EGM in Tunis
ECA-NA EGM in Tunis helped identify
issues come up with recommendations discuss
report presented by ECA-NA which led to
publication
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Tunis 2007 EGM on SD
50 experts from various ministries of all member
states, private sector operators, consultants,
academics and students, representatives of Intl
organizations and NGOs Introductory
presentations of distinguished guests
including Mr. Habib Benyahia, Secretary General
of the Arab Maghreb Union Mr. Youba Sokana,
Executive Secretary of the Sahara and Sahel
Observatory and other Nobel winning IPCC
members Mr. Ahmed Joghlaf, Executive Secretary of
the Convention on Biodiversity. Experts
discussed the multiple facets of sustainable
development. They recommended the establishment
of mechanisms for encouraging research and
innovation through education and training based
on appropriate financing tools enabling all
development actors (especially farmers, small and
medium enterprises, youth and women) to adopt
technologies facilitating adaptation to the
economic as well as environmental challenges
facing the world. They pointed out the need to
include these efforts into a logic of regional
cooperation to work together in order to
rationalize resources and share experiences They
highlighted the need to enhance the
sustainability of development strategies through
increased coordination between economic,
environmental and social policies that must all
put the goal of human development at the centre
of their concerns.
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Tunis 2007 EGM on SD specific recommendations
Promote regional integration to find common
solutions to better performance Adapting to
climate change should no longer be a reaction to
crisis but a socio-economic reality based on the
know-how of local populations Seek synergy
between the various international conventions to
preserve the ecological balance There is a
need to involve all the stakeholders in the
definition and the implementation of coordinated
and integrated development policies Take
advantage of the demographics opportunities of
the region based on its cultural heritage and
give (back?) to people (especially women, youth,
rural populations, migrants and SMEs) the means
to adapt Only cooperation between countries
can achieve a critical size sufficient for
successful RD activities, agriculture a good
example (insisted on the role of knowledge
sharing and management, praising Office efforts
in this regard and recommending more activities)
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Thank you
Karim Laraki klaraki_at_uneca.org