MULTI STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUES
In preparation for the World Summit, the UN had planned a series of Multi
Stakeholder Dialogues (MSDs). The idea of the MSDs was to enable direct
interactions between governments and major groups
on specific topics and as part of the official inter-governmental process
rather than taking place on the margins. One such MSD was held at PrepComm
II; others had been scheduled for PrepComm
IV and for the Summit itself,
with NGOs discussing among themselves and with governments. Three topics
have been identified for the MSDs: Review/assessment of progress (PrepComm
II), future priorities and partnership approaches (PrepComm
IV) and multi-stakeholder implementation partnerships and commitments
(during the summit).
In the fall and winter of 2001, the major groups wrote their assessments
of progress (known as “dialogue
papers”) and submitted them to the UN. The NGO dialogue paper formed
the basis of NGO participation in the MSD at PrepComm
II. Ten NGOs were selected as participants in that MSD, but several
other NGOs also contributed to the dialogue paper and participated in
the MSD. Following the MSD, the Chairman presented a paper reflecting
the discussions; NGOs also compiled a reference paper. Some of the NGO
speeches during the MSD at PrepComm II can be found at the 92
group web site.
Another MSD took place during PrepComm IV
in Indonesia. Three NGO had been approached by the UN WSSD Secretariat
to facilitate the NGO major group participation. These three NGOs are
the Environment Liaison
Centre International, Kenya, the Third
World Network, Malaysia and the The
92 Group, Denmark. Each major group had
been asked to produce an input paper and select ten participants to engage
actively in the preparations and the dialogue. The Chair's report on the
Multi Stakeholder Dialogue can be downloaded here. [ Chairman's
Summary of the Multi Stakeholder Dialogue Segment at PrepComm IV
-- pdf; 18 pages ]
During the World Summit, five people
from each Major Group will be invited to
sit at the table on September 4, but only one or two will be able
to speak. Again, the event will be facilitated by the three groups that
had been approached for the previous events.
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