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NATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
speech by M. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister
-excerpts-
Rennes, 1 July 2002
I'd like to begin by telling you right away that France wants to mobilize so that Johannesburg is a success. Already, President Chirac has decided to attend this global meeting. Already, in Seville, with the European heads of State, and in Kananaskis with the G8 representatives, he argued for all the heads of State to be physically present in Johannesburg to demonstrate clearly this meeting's importance to the international community. ( ) ( ) We want to devote all our energies, make all the necessary efforts to succeed in Johannesburg in achieving what, for us, is perhaps most important: a new manifestation of the spirit of Rio [the Earth Summit, Rio, 1992] combined with some concrete results. The Rio meeting was very important, it awakened the world's conscience. For the whole world it was a meeting which sprouted hopes, ideas, commitments. The world's needs have been brought home to us, but now is the time for action, i.e. the Johannesburg meeting, while retaining that spirit which stirs the peoples to action which we had felt in Rio. That Rio legacy must be protected .( ) At the practical level, we shall contribute, and are ready to do so, in areas like water, energy, good governance, ensure that France can promote sustainable development by helping at the technological, administrative and financial levels.( )
LOCAL AUTHORITY AND COMMUNITY EFFORTS
I should also like the UN to pay close heed to all the initiatives of local authorities and decentralized cooperation bodies. There is today a real impetus springing from local authorities, cities, departments, regions, not just all over the northern hemisphere, but also throughout the south, to organize cooperation. ( ) This enthusiasm for cooperation on the part of local authorities is very important since it brings face to face the relevant generous, determined players involved. ( ) This is why I'm keen for the local authorities to play their part alongside the non-governmental organizations, the States and all the other Johannesburg participants, and join in this world mobilization. ( ) YOUNG PEOPLE
We must think about actively involving young people. And to do this, we must think too about what motivates them: the humanitarian causes, world causes, are causes to which they themselves are extremely committed. It's our duty to ensure that their commitment isn't fruitless, that it leads somewhere. ( ) We must act in such a way that young people can feel this cause of sustainable development, of the world environment is one which concerns them both at world level and personally. ( )./.
Embassy of France in the US -July 5, 2002
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