/ 25 April 2003

Moosa in the WSSD hot seat

Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa will leave for New York on Friday to chair a meeting to follow-up last year’s World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, his office said on Thursday.

The 11th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) would work out the agenda for the next decade of implementation of the Johannesburg agreements, his office said in a statement.

”A new CSD is needed for a new decade in sustainable development with a fresh implementation plan,” Moosa said in the statement.

”Hence, this session has a crucial role to play to ensure that sound political direction is given to the implementation of Johannesburg outcomes and to the next phase of the Commission’s work.”

Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Ronnie Kasrils, will lead the South African delegation to CSD meeting.

The CSD meeting ends on May 9. – Sapa