9. The way ahead
Participation of Civil Society in the WSSD
- With the WSSD a new opportunity arises for Civil Society to bring sustainable development for Botswana on the international and national agenda.
- In their deliberations at the WSSD, the representatives of Civil Society will focus on the role sustainable development can play to alleviate poverty in Botswana.
- Regional issues regarding sustainable natural resources management in Southern Africa need to be addressed.
Establishing Botswana’s Agenda 21
- Subsequent to the WSSD, Civil Society will seek to mobilise stakeholders, including donors, to establish a National Committee for Sustainable Development (NCSD).
- This NCSD will have the task of undertaking comprehensive consultations with stakeholders ; with the objective of developing a National Agenda 21 strategy.
- The NCSD will subsequently coordinate the implementation of this
- A goal should be to finalise this National Agenda 21 strategy before 2005.
- Establishment of Local Agenda 21s will be part of this National plan
- The NCSA is the best indicated entity to incorporate a NCSD, if a general consensus and commitment to extend its mandate and capacity can be obtained. Alternatively, the Civil Society steering committee for the WSSD will take the lead in identifying a suitable structure, in cooperation with all stakeholders.
- The commitment of GoB to establish a Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism in 2004 is an opportunity should the Ministry take the sustainable development agenda as its core objective.
The future for NGOs:
The reduction of development funding from overseas donors is a general phenomenon. It is worse in Botswana as many donors phase out their operations since the country is in the lower middle-income group (although this should be contrasted with the disturbing reality that nearly 50% of the country’s population lives below poverty level). In Botswana, no standardised Government subsidies exist for NGOs. Recommendations are therefore
- Lobbying with donors not to stop funding for projects directly aimed at the poor section of the population and their environment – rural and the poor urban areas;
- Jointly assess funding needs;
- Government to consider a subsidy mechanism for NGOs;
- NGOs with overlapping or complementary programmes to consider joining forces (eg joint planning, joint project submissions) to become more cost-efficient; to eliminate financial highs and lows, and to reach the entire country since too much focus is currently on Gaborone.
The Private Sector, the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) and the Unions will have an important role in implementing an agenda of sustainable development. Compliance with environmental standards within ISO 14000 and/or proper EIA procedures will become necessary. There is a need for the environmental businesses in the country to maintain high standards in carrying out EIA and Environmental Audits.
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