The impact on South Africa’s economy of the recent World Summit on Sustainable Development is to be analysed by an independent company, Environment Minister Valli Moosa said on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question by the Democratic Party’s Janet Semple, he said such an economic impact analysis (EIA) would determine how much money the summit had generated.
It would make a clear distinction between international and domestic spending, and ”identify expenditure by source”.
Moosa said South Africa would ”bear the cost of the general logistic arrangements for the summit”, although a detailed breakdown of this was not available.
It is not clear when the EIA will be completed, or which company is conducting the analysis. Moosa’s office was not immediately available for comment late on Wednesday.
At the weekend, it was reported South African taxpayers looked likely to foot most of the estimated R550-million bill for the WSSD, which ended on September 4.
Senior ministers, including Moosa, have sidestepped questions on the possibility of funding shortfalls.
It is understood R350-million of the R550-million budgeted for the summit is supposed to be paid by donors, although commitments have been received for only about 80% of this amount. – Sapa