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MED Info 37 (AVRIL / MAI 2002)
April/Mai 2002 |
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Édition française / english edition
SOMMAIRE / TABLE OF CONTENT :
Ø Éditorial / Editorial:
-
MED Forum: UNE ORGANISATION
TRANSPARENTE
-
MED Forum: TRANSPARENCY OF ORGANISATION
Ø Nouvelles de MED Forum / MED Forum News
- Civil Forum Euromed. Valencia (Spain), 12-14 April 2002
-
Propositions de MED Forum à
la Vème Conférence Euromed.
-
Proposals of MED Forum to
the Vth Euromed Conference
-
Position
Paper of the major networks of the EuroMediterranean Partnership and
environmental NGOs addressed to the Euro-Mediterranean Civil Forum (Valencia, 12-14 April
2002) and the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference (Valencia, 22-23 April
2002)
-
Meeting of the MED Forum's Executive Committee. Valencia, 13 April
2002
-
Letter of the Executive Committee to Mr. Simon Peres
Ø D’autres nouvelles / Other News
-The 7th Meeting of the MCSD
Ø Calendrier international / International calendar
____________________________________________________________________________________
MED Info est le bulletin électronique de MED
Forum, Réseau d'ONG de la Méditerranée pour l'Écologie et le Développement durable / MED Info is the electronic
newsletter of
MED Forum, Mediterranean
NGOs Network for the Ecology
and Sustainable
Development.
Les éditeurs et les sponsors ne se
responsabilisent pas des contenus des articles signés. Les
auteurs sont les responsables des opinions exprimées. / The publisher and sponsors take no responsibility for the contents of
the signed articles. The authors take the responsibility of their phrased
opinions.
Sécretariat de
MED Forum: / Secretariat of MED Forum:
EcoMediterrània: TRAFALGAR nº 19,
1º - 1ª. 08010 Barcelone. Espagne / Spain.
Tel.
+34934124309 Fax: +34934124622 E-mail: medforum@pangea.org Web site: www.medforum.org
Editorial
MED
Forum: UNE ORGANISATION TRANSPARENTE
|
D |
epuis sa
fondation, MED Forum, Réseau d'ONGs de la
Méditerranée pour l'Ecologie et le Développement durable, a eu un programme
d'Activités et un budget qu'il a justifié chaque année devant les instances
démocratiques du Réseau et aux donateurs privés et publics qui l'ont appuyé. De
plus, la Commission Européenne a effectué un contrôle financier ordinaire des
comptes de MED Forum avec des résultats positifs pour notre organisation et,
d'autre part, les audit ont été effectués pour les exercices financiers 2000 et
2001, aussi avec des résultats positifs.
Résultats
favorables du contrôle financier de la Commission Européenne
MED
Forum a seulement six ans, mais il a beaucoup grandi. Nous avons 67 membres
dans 23 pays de la Méditerranée et plus de 40 organisations ont demandé
l'adhésion. L'originalité de MED Forum se trouve dans le fait que c'est une
organisation ouverte, démocratique qui permet la participation des membres dans
ses activités et qu'il fournit d'un service consultatif sur projets et
campagnes.
Annuellement
MED Forum administre un budget de 300,000 euros annuels pour couvrir beaucoup
de pétitions des membres partout dans la Méditerranée. Il reçoit la plus grande
subvention de la Commission Européenne (Direction Générale pour
l'Environnement), approximativement un 50 %. L'autre 50 % vient d'agences du
gouvernement en Espagne, principalement en Catalogne (Generalitat de Catalunya
[Gouvernement Régional Catalan], Diputació [Conseil Provincial de Barcelone] et
Ajuntament de Barcelone [Mairie de Barcelone]). La Commission Européenne a
octroié la subvention à MED Forum depuis 1996. Du commencement la Fondation
EcoMediterrània lui à donné tout son appui financier et technique. Précisément ce rapport étroit entre MED Forum et EcoMediterrània a
permis à MED Forum d'arriver où c'est aujourd'hui. Pendant sa réunion dernière de 15 et 16 février 2002,
Le Comité Exécutif l'a exprimé tout à fait: "MED
Forum souhaite temoigner sa reconnaissance à la Fundació EcoMediterrània pour
l'appui qu'il a reçu, en termes tant économiques qu'humains".
Ce
rapport-là a été clairement expliqué aux donateurs depuis la fondation de MED
Forum. La Direction Général de la Commission pour l'Environnement a prouvé
qu'il pour être ainsi en donnant un positif fait un rapport sur le contrôle
complet(compréhensif) des comptes de MED Forum et EcoMediterrània pendant les
années 1998, 1999 et 2000. Le résultat a été positif pour les deux
organisations, comme tout est correct. Deuxièmement, c'est très positif pour la
présentation de la subvention pendant l'année 2002. MED Forum a présenté sa
demande pour le subsides de son 2002 l'Activité programme et a reçu la réponse
de la Commission confirmant qu'il observe toutes les conditions requises pour
recevoir subsides cette année (reférence NGO2002/049). Cela nous permet
d'attendre une réponse positive à notre pétition.
Réalisées les audits des années 2000 et 2001 avec des
résultats positifs
En
plus d'avoir subi une inspection financière par la Commission Européenne et de
l'avoir passé d'une manière satisfaisante, le Secrétariat a chargé un audit
externe à un auditeur bien connu qui a publié un rapport positif des années
2000 et 2001. Le rapport de l'auditeur dit : "à notre avis professionnel les comptes annuels (Bilan et Compte
de Résultats) (…) montrent, convenablementt, la situation financière
patrimonial à 31 décembre 2000 (de même pour 2001), et les résultats de ses
opérations pour l'exercice financier se fermant sur cette date, conformément
aux principes comptables généralement admis". Les résultats de cet audit
ont été présentés à la Commission Européenne avec la demande d subvention pour
2002.
Nous considérons que ces audits contribuent à la
transparence de notre organisation, en ce qui concerne les donateurs, soient
publics ou privés, et les membres de notre organisation. Ils représentent une
preuve que la gestion financière de MED Forum est effectuée correctement, ce
qui peut seulement contribuer à augmenter la crédibilité de MED Forum.
Le Président Le
Secrétaire Général
Mohamed
Ali ABROUGUI Rafael
Madueño
Editorial
MED Forum: TRANSPARENCY OF
ORGANISATION
|
S |
ince it MED Forum, Mediterranean
NGO Network for Ecology and Sustainable developmen,t has had an Activity
programme and budget which it has justified every year to the democratic bodies
of the Network and to private and public donors. In addition, the European
Commission has carried out a routine financial control of MED Forum’s accounts
with positive results for our organisation, and audits were carried out for the
financial years 2000 and 2001, also with positive results.
Favourable results of the
Commission’s financial control
MED Forum
is only six years old, but it is already fully grown. We have 67 members in 23
Mediterranean countries and over 40 organisations have applied for membership.
The originality of MED Forum lies in the fact that it is an open, democratic
organisation which allows the participation of members in its activities and
provides a project and campaign advisory service.
MED Forum
administers a budget of 300,000 Euros annually to cover a great many petitions
from members throughout the Mediterranean. It receives the largest grant from
the European Commission (Directorate-General for the Environment),
approximately 50%, and the other 50% comes from government agencies in Spain,
mainly in Catalonia (Catalan Regional Government, Barcelona Provincial Council
and Barcelona City Council). The European Commission has awarded the subsidy to
MED Forum since 1996. The Fundació
EcoMediterrània sherched financial and technical support for Med Forum
since the beginning. It is in fact this close link between Med Forum and
EcoMediterrània has allowed MED Forum to get where it is today. The Executive
Committee made this quite clear in its last meeting on 15 and 16 February 2002:
“MED Forum wishes to put on record that
it is grateful to the Fundació EcoMediterrània for the support it has received,
in both economic and human terms”.
This
relationship has been clearly explained to donors since MED Forum was set up.
The Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment has proved it to be so
by giving a positive report on the comprehensive control of the accounts of MED
Forum and EcoMediterrània for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. The result has
been positive for the two organisations, as everything is correct. Secondly, it
is very positive for the presentation of the subsidy for the year 2002. MED
Forum has presented its application for the subsidisation of its 2002 Activity
programme and has received the Commission’s reply confirming that it complies
with all the requisites, assigned reference nº NGO2002049. This allows us to
expect a positive reply to our petition.
The audits for the years 2000 and 2001 have been
carried out with positive results
In
addition to having undergone a financial inspection by the European Commission
and passed it satisfactorily, the Secretariat has commissioned an external
audit to a well-known auditor which has issued a positive report for both 2000
and 2001. The auditor’s report reads: “In
our professional opinion the annual accounts (Balance sheet and Profit and Loss
Statement) adequately (…) reflect the financial situation as of 31 December
2000 (likewise for 2001) and the results of its operations for the financial
year closing on this date, in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles.” The results of this audit were presented to the European
Commission together with the application for subsidisation for 2002.
We
consider that these audits contribute to the greater transparency of our
organisation, as regards public and private donors and the members of our
organisation. They represent further proof that the financial management of MED
Forum is carried out correctly, which can only contribute to the greater
credibility of MED Forum.
President
Secretary
General
Mohamed
Ali ABROUGUI Rafael
Madueño
********
Nouvelles de MED Forum / MED Forum News
Ø Civil Forum Euromed
Valencia
(Spain), 12-14 April 2002
Last April, the city of Valencia received for three
days a new meeting of the Civil Forum Euromed. During the meeting there were
debated the offers that the representatives of the civil society would present
before the meeting of Secretaries of State of Foreign Affairs of the Process of
Barcelona. Approximately 600 persons of all the countries of the Mediterranean,
belonging to ONGs of our region, elaborated an offer which was presented before
the official meeting, celebrated on the 22nd and 23rd of April. MED Forum for
its part organized a Workshop on environment in which the principal
environmental organizations took part: MED Forum, FOE, ENDA and different ONGs
of several Mediterranean countries. MIO, BEE, RAED and WWF excused its presence
at this Workshop.
After a wide debate on the contributions carried out
by MED Forum, FOE and RAED, and after analyzing also an offer of declaration
presented by the "Comité de
Suivi", the assembled ones approved the unitary POSITION that we
transcribe later. But before and first, we want to remind the proposals carried
out by MED Forum for this V Conference of the Civil Forum Euromed, most from
which were gathered and used as base for the draft of the unitary document.
********
Ø Propositions de MED Forum à
la Vème Conférence Euromed
Valencia (Espagne) - Avril 2002
1.
Le
Processus Euro-Méditerranéen lie les 15 pays de l’UE plus 12 états voisins de
la Méditerranée, excluant, jusqu’à aujourd´hui, les pays des Balkans et la
Lybie. Nous pensons qu’il serait
positif d’incorporer au processus politique Euro-Méditerranéen tous les pays riverains,
comme l’ont déjà fait la Convention de Barcelone et d’autres organismes.
2.
La
Convention de Barcelone pour la protection de la Méditerranée doit être
pleinement intégrée à la politique euro-méditerranéenne et compter sur un
soutien politique et économique majeur du Processus Euro-Méditerranéen. Le PAM doit être vu comme un interlocuteur
privilégié pour développer la politique environnementale du Processus
Euro-Méditerranéen.
3.
Les
accords d’associations doivent s’accélérer jusqu’à ce qu’ils couvrent toute la
région et pouvant établir les mécanismes nécessaires pour qu’en 2010
s’établisse une zone de libre échange comptant sur toutes les garanties
sociales, économiques et environnementales.
4.
Le
Programme MEDA II et les programmes et initiatives régionales comme le SMAP
doivent être suffisamment équipés pour aborder les problèmes qui doivent être
résolus, accélérer les procédures bureaucratiques en les dotant de personnel
nécessaire vers une instauration efficace.
5.
Obtenir
une implication majeure et une attitude plus décidée de l’UE vers l’objectif
d’obtenir la paix au Moyen-Orient et dans les Balkans, comme condition de base
pour que s’établisse un cadre de vie commune et de relation normalisée entre
les peuples de la région et comme condition indispensable pour que s’établisse
une zone de libre échange allant vers un développement durable dans toute la
région.
6.
Favoriser
la participation de la société civile créant un fond MEDA ONGs, comme fonds
pour les ONGs dans les programmes régionaux (SMAP ONGs), avec objectif de
rendre efficace (capacity building) les ONGs du sud et de l’est de la
Méditerranée à travers la réalisation de projets qui les lient à la
population. Ceci nous permettra de
complimenter la proposition du MEDA II « Les programmes devront encourager
la participation et la manifestation de la société civile dans les pays
associés ».
7.
Les
villes méditerranéennes, les administrations locales et leur société civile,
doivent recevoir un soutien majeur du processus euroméditerranéen, étant des
sources d’initiatives, de propositions et de progrès.
8.
Soutien
majeur aux forums de la société civile, à tous les niveaux et dans tous les
secteurs, privilégiant l’échange entre jeunes et favorisant les projets avec
une participation de la jeunesse dans le dialogue interculturel.
9.
Soutenir
toutes les initiatives allant vers le codéveloppement durable de la région,
comme l’a soulevé lors de son rapport de la Commission, exprimant l’idée
qu’une: « Europe en paix, stable et prospère est inconcevable sans une
région méditerranénne également en paix, stable et prospère ».
10.
Obtenir
la participation de la société civile, en particulier des ONGs, dans la
conception des Programmes Indicatifs Nationaux (PIN) et Régionaux (PIR)
couvrant des périodes de trois ans et s’efforçant de réaliser des projets
concrets.
11.
Etablir
des évaluations obligatiores sur l’impact environnemental dans tous les projets
MEDA, ainsi que lier les ONGs en phase de sensibilisation et de diffusion des
résultats des projets méditerranéens réalisés au niveau national et régional.
12.
Favorisant
les réseaux des ONGs existentes, comme cela a été fait avec d’autres secteurs,
leur donnant les capacités et les ayant comme portes-parole dans le Processus
Euroméditerranéen et dans l’application du programme MEDA II et des programmes
régionaux, comme le SMAP et autres.
********
Ø
Proposals
of MED Forum to the Vth Euromed Conference
Valencia (Spain) - April 2002
1. The Euro-Mediterranean process brings together 15 European Union
countries plus 12 neighbouring states in the Mediterranean, so far excluding
the Balkan countries and Libya. We think it would be positive to incorporate
all countries on the Mediterranean shore into the Euro-Mediterranean political
process, as the Barcelona Convention and other bodies do.
2. The Barcelona Convention to protect the Mediterranean must be fully
integrated into the Euro-Mediterranean policy and receive greater political and
economic support from the Euro-Mediterranean process. The MAP must have a voice
in the development of the environmental policy of the Euro-Mediterranean
process.
3. The association agreements have to be stepped up to cover the whole
region and establish the necessary mechanisms for the creation by 2010 of a
free-trade zone with full social, economic and environmental guarantees.
4. The MEDA II Programme and sectorial programmes and initiatives, such as
the SMAP, have to receive sufficient backing to be able to deal with the
problems facing them, speed up bureaucratic procedures and give them the
necessary staffing levels to ensure effective implementation.
5. To achieve greater involvement and a more decided attitude on the part
of the European Union with a view to bringing about peace in the Middle East
and the Balkans as a basic condition for the creation of a framework of
co-existence and normalised relations between the peoples of the region and a
vital condition for establishing a free-trade zone which advances towards
sustainable development throughout the region.
6. To encourage the participation of civil society by creating a MEDA NGO
fund, as well as funds for NGOs in sectorial programmes (SMAP NGOs), with the
aim of providing capacity building for NGOs in the south and east of the
Mediterranean by means of projects which bring them in touch with the
population. This would allow us to comply with the MEDA II proposal: “The programmes must be devoted to
encouraging the participation and manifestation of civil society in associate
countries”.
7. Mediterranean cities, local government and their civil society must
receive greater support from the Euro-Mediterranean process, as they are a
source of initiatives, proposals and progress.
8. Greater support for the forums of dialogue in civil society, at all
levels and in all sectors, with particular emphasis on exchanges between young
people and the promotion of projects which involve the participation of young
people in intercultural dialogue.
9. To support all initiatives which advance towards co-sustainable
development in the region; as the Commission’s report says: a “a peaceful, stable and prosperous
Europe is inconceivable without an equally peaceful, stable and prosperous
Mediterranean basin”.
10. To achieve the participation of civil society, particularly NGOs, in the
conception of National (NIP) and regional
(RIP) Indicative Programmes for three-year periods which contain specific
projects.
11. To establish obligatory environmental evaluations
as part of all MEDA projects, and get NGOs involved in the sensitisation and
dissemination of results of Mediterranean projects carried out at national and
regional level.
12.
To encourage existing NGO networks, as in other sectors, by means of capacity building and by
giving them a voice in the Euro-Mediterranean process and the implementation of
MEDA II and sectorial programmes, such as SMAP and others.
********
Ø
Position Paper of the major
networks of the EuroMediterranean Partnership and environmental NGOs addressed to the Euro-Mediterranean Civil Forum (Valencia, 12-14 April
2002) and the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference (Valencia, 22-23 April
2002)
We, the Environmental organizations, grouped under the
major Networks[1]
of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and NGO’s for the environment,
representing an important part of the Civil Society of the European and
Mediterranean region, and in view of the forthcoming Euro-Mediterranean meeting
of Athens (8-10 July 2002) and the Johannesburg Summit, have agreed on the following positions.
1. A Mediterranean
Sustainability Strategy
·
The Valencia Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial
Conference should adopt the principle of
a Mediterranean Sustainability Strategy (Strategy for Environmental Integration
towards Sustainability in the Mediterranean Region) to be developed with concrete indicators, targets and timetables. It should secure coherence with the overall
Euro-Mediterranean policies and the EU Sustainability Strategy, as it was
developed through the Götteborg process
and other relevant initiatives. It should also take into account the outcome of
the Strategic Assessment (Review) undertaken in the frameworks of UNEP/MAP. The
Strategy should be completed and adopted at the 2nd Ministerial
Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership on the Environment, to be held
in Athens (8-10 July 2002), or at Barcelona VI, at the latest. This Strategy or
commitment should be announced in Johannesburg. Ideally, a Euro-Mediterranean
Partnership Sustainability Council, with the participation of Civil Society
representatives should be established by/at Valencia V, to co-ordinate and
finalise this work.
·
As mentioned in the Communication by the
Commission “a peaceful, stable and
prosperous Europe is inconceivable without an equally peaceful, stable and
prosperous Mediterranean basin”. Since armed conflict, poverty and the
widening gap in economic development and distribution of wealth between
countries and sub regions followed by massive migration and unemployment are
among the root causes of many of the environmental degradation and development
problems, particular attention should be paid to these issues in the Strategy
and sufficient adjustments in the operational, financial and institutional
provisions should be made accordingly.
·
Along with designing the sustainability
strategy, procedures should also be designed to make it operational e.g. define
and refine the mandate of the EMP Sustainability Council, mandate regular
reports from all the EMP sectoral fora (energy, water etc), MEDA, EIB and other
relevant organs to the EMP Sustainability Council on how they are incorporating
sustainability issues into their work. These reports should be reviewed
regularly by a Council meeting, which should meet once a year at ministerial
level.
·
Such an enlarged Strategy should include a
variety of instruments among which SMAP should continue its role as an
important instrument to promote projects that protect the environment.
Bureaucratic procedures must be minimised, their budget substantially
increased, and the necessary provisions and technical requirements (e.g. staff)
must be secured in order to ensure effective functioning.
·
The Strategy should fully incorporate any new
commitments/goals emerging from Johannesburg.
2. The Strategic Impact Assessment (SIA) of the MFTZ
The Strategic Impact Assessment (SIA) of the MFTZ must be formally
launched by Valencia Ministerial V; its findings must be made available within
one year and then incorporated both into the draft Mediterranean Sustainability
Strategy and on-going negotiations. Revision of existing agreements should be
undertaken to align them to agreed sustainability criteria.
3. Enhancing the role of
Civil Society
Genuine civil society participation must be mandated at Valencia
Ministerial in all the activities of the EMP. Channels of dialogue between EMP
officials and grassroots NGOs must be opened and supported financially. Civil society groups should be entitled and
encouraged to submit presentations and comments to the Euro-Mediterranean
Committee, the EIB and MEDA programme management, which must consider them with
due care and invite oral presentations and comments from civil society at their
meetings. Civil society, and NGOs in particular, should be involved in the
conception and implementation of National and Regional Indicative Programmes
(NIPs and RIPs). A regular, open to comments report must be delivered by the
Commission to EMP Foreign Ministers about civil society participation.
The participation of civil society should be further encouraged by
creating a MEDA NGO budget line, as well as funds for NGOs in sectorial
programmes (SMAP NGOs), with the aim of providing capacity building for NGOs
especially in the South and East of the Mediterranean to become active in the
EMP by means of projects that assist education and the creation of awareness
and pro-active attitudes among the population, with emphasis on youth and
intercultural dialogue.
4. Relations between rights to environment and political rights
As the
right to a healthy environment and to a sustainable development are important
components of human rights in general, it is admitted unanimously that the
relations between this right and public rights, political rights and democracy
are close and synergic. The reinforced role of women in civil society as key
players in the protection of the environment should be an essential objective
within the strategy of sustainable development, and thus, of EMP. The fight
against poverty is an essential element for environmental protection and
viceversa.
5. Synergies
As a
necessary input to the successful establishment of such a Strategy, the issue
of the working relations between the EMP and the Mediterranean Action Plan
(MAP), and other international bodies relevant to the Mediterranean region must
be defined at the highest political level, i.e. by a formal political and
financial commitment at Valencia Ministerial, so that full consideration and
support of the work of the
Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development (MCSD) is given.
Furthermore, collaboration should be encouraged between UNEP/MAP and its
Regional Activity Centres with the EMP, while UNEP/MAP senior officials should
automatically be invited to attend/contribute documents to all relevant EMP
meetings relating to sustainable development issues.
6. Other Critical Issues
·
The EMP must formally commit itself at Valencia
Ministerial to promote the goals stated in the commitments which EMP
governments have already adopted, alongside all other UN states, of the
Millennium Summit and the World Food Summit re: poverty reduction[2]
and other International Development Goals, and food security and sovereignty as
agreed in Havana 2001. These goals and thus related activities must be taken
into account in the development of the Mediterranean Sustainability Strategy.
·
Obligatory environmental evaluations should be
established as part of all MEDA projects.
·
With the prospect of ratification by the EU 15
of the Kyoto Protocol before WSSD, with 2 Southern Mediterranean states having
already ratified (Cyprus, Malta) and some others having announced they would do
so (e.g. Jordan), Valencia Ministerial should formally launch a regional climate
change strategy, dealing with both the causes and impacts, to be developed in
co-operation with MAP and adopted by Barcelona VI.
·
Such a Strategy could not be effective unless
all issues critical for the region are included. Provisions should be made to
progressively introduce policy frameworks for agriculture, tourism, transport
and energy.
·
Political will to implement sustainable
development in partner countries is weak. Comprehensive capacity building of
environmental ministries and local authorities is needed to engender this
political will.
The
above points could decisively enhance the efforts to raise the profile of the
Mediterranean as a successful example of a region which, despite its
accumulated problems due to conflicts based on serious differences of national,
ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic and religious nature, manages to
sustain common institutions and formulate and implement collectively a large
number of ambitious environmental and sustainable development policies mainly
under the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the Barcelona Convention and its
protocols, the innovative scheme of MCSD (Mediterranean Commission for
Sustainable Development). In particular, we believe that, if properly
formulated, the Mediterranean Sustainability Strategy could play an extremely
useful and far reaching role and could substantially assist in dealing with the
main regional problems.
To
conclude the NGOs:
-
support the proposal of the Commission to develop environmental
integration strategies for all sectors as written in the Communication by the
Commission to the Council and European Parliament for the Valencia Summit;
-
strongly encourage the Commission to take the steps needed in order to
create the necessary provisions for an explicit, much stronger sustainability
component for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership;
-
propose to incorporate all countries of the Mediterranean into the
Euro-Mediterranean political process, as the Barcelona Convention and other
bodies do;
-
urge for a greater involvement and a more decided attitude on the part
of the European Union with a view to bringing about peace in the Middle East
and the Balkans as a basic prerequisite for sustainable development and for the
creation of a framework of co-existence and harmonious relations between the
peoples of the region;
-
are concerned about the slow progress in the Strategic Impact Assessment
of the MFTZ;
-
urge the EMP to include support to the participation of Civil Society as
a prerequisite of Sustainable Development in the region;
-
propose to give complementary
funding to reinforce capacities of South NGOs, reinforce the activities of dialogue between NGOs and
Institutions, as well as dialogue between NGOs, and allow NGOs to carry out a
wide range of projects.
-
encourage to further develop synergies with existing regional schemes
(such as MCSD, UNEP/MAP, GWP-Med, etc.)
-
urge to widen the scope of the EMP and include critical issues of the
region such as agriculture, , etc.
-
propose that bilateral agreements should be replaced by a single
multilateral agreement with strong social and sustainable development elements.
The
environment workshop of the Euromed Civil Forum denounces the destructive
effects of the war that Israel is carrying out against the palestinian
autonomous territories destroying basic environmental infrastructures and
natural resources, as well as the indiscriminated slaughter of citizens, and
Palestinian women and children.
We
declare our solidarity with the Palestinian people and demand a fair peace with
ackowledgement of a Palestinian State.
********
Ø
Meeting of the MED Forum's Executive Committee.
Valencia
(Spain), 13 April 2002
Taking advantage of the presence of several its members in Valencia for the assistance at the Civil Forum Euromed, MED Forum's Executive Committee celebrated a new meeting in this spanish city. There were present at the meeting: the President, Mr. Mohamed Ali Abrougui, Mrs. Alexander Bordero and Mohamed Zeidan, as well as the Secretary General of our Net, Mr. Rafael Madueño. The rest of members of the Executive Committee excused their attendance at the meeting. In the course of this second meeting of 2002, there was a report on the favorable situation of the existing relation among MED Forum and the European Commission; of the presentation of the Program of Activities for its possible subsidy both for the own European Commission and for other donors, as well as of the internal problems derived from the last General Assembly, problems that still are not totally resolved. Finally, the General Assembly decided the close meeting of the Mediterranean Council of MED Forum wich will take place on November in Tunis.
The Executive Committee valued positively the
present situation, and there was marked the aim to obtain a bigger
participation of the members in the activities of the organization.
In this respect, and as an example, it was insisted once more that, in spite of
the constant requests of collaboration proposed from the General Secretariat,
the are only still very few members who send information, offers, commentaries,
articles, etc., to insert in our informative bulletin MED Info.
********
Ø
Letter from the MED Forum's
Executive Committe to Mr. Simon Peres
Immediatly later we transcribe the uncut text of the letter addressed to Mr. Simon Peres, Secretary of State of Isarael, by MED Forum's Executive Committee, to protest and to lament the situation created by the recent performances of the army of Israel in Palestine. And, concretly, protesting for the invasion, during 22 days, of the headquarters that the organization member of MED Forum Palestinian Hidrologic Group (PHG) has located in the city of Ramallah.
Mr. Simon Peres
Foreign Affair Minister
Israel
Sir,
Our member, Palestinian Hidrology Group (PHG)
informed us that the Israeli army occupied their offices in Ramallah for 22
continuous days causing unjustified damages to the office itself, to the
computers, equipments and to the data files which is essential for their daily
operation. We also have been informed that PHG has lost several important
equipment from their offices. They lost three computers, a fax machine, a
digital camera, laboratory equipments, JPS, and some important data files. We
protest for what we consider an act against
the association right and against the democratic rights. PHG is an NGO who with
other 67 NGO’s from all the Mediterranean – including Israel – make
MED Forum, Mediterranean NGOs Network for the Ecology and Sustainable
Development, an international organisation with the support of the European
Commission and is member of MCSD (Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable
Development).
MED Forum made several meetings and seminars in
the region (Lebanon, Israel, Jordan with participation of NGOs from all the
countries). MED Forum has members in Israel (CVI-The National Council for
Voluntarism in Israel, SPNI – Society for the Conservation of Nature in Israel
and other Israel NGOs had sollicit to become members). We made a Seminar on
Good Practices on combating desertification in the Ben Gurion University
(Negev) in 1999 organized with Sustainable Development for the Negev as well as
a meeting between israel and palestinian NGOs in Jerusalem in 1999 with the
presidency of SPNI (Israel) and the PHG (Palestine).
MED Forum is a non governmental federation whose
main objective is to preserve the environment through the sustainable
development defending the idea of the mediterranity. PHG is an NGO who defend
this principles and Mr. Ayman Rabi, director of PHG is at present
Vice-President of MED Forum.
Mr.
Minister, we believe that these acts will not help in building bridges among
our civil societies and will not bring peace and sustainability to our region.
We therefore, ask for an explanation for this behaviour, to repair the damages
and to return all confisicated equipments and data files and, that this acts
will not be repeated in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Executive Committee of MED
Forum
MED Forum, Mediterranean
NGOs Network
for the Ecology and
Sustainable Development
********
D’autres nouvelles
/ Other News
Ø
The 7th Meeting
of the MCSD
(Mediterranean
Commission for Sustainable Development)
Antalya,
March 13-16 2002
The
Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development (MCSD) is a consultative
body of the UNEP-MAP. The members of the MCSD are representatives of the
contracting parties, local authorities and social, economic and NGOs
representatives.
The
agenda of the meeting focused on:
§
Assessment of the MCSD
§
Evaluation of the carrying out and monitoring
of the recommendations submitted to
the contracting parties
§
Write guideline framework for sustainable
development in the region
§
Reexamination of themes dealt with new priority
topics
§
Participation of the MAP/MCSD in the
preparatory stages leading up to the Johannesburg summit
The Meeting
highlighted the proposals:
§
Set up a task force to consider how to
reinforce MCSD after the Johannesburg summit.
§
Organise regional workshops aimed at those with
responsibility at national level for several fields, suggesting Tourism as the
first topic.
§
Prepare the guideline framework for sustainable
development at the meeting of experts to be held in Spain in October 2002.
§
Organise a forum devoted to managing the demand
for water and its contribution to sustainable development in Rome.
§
The MAP will study the possibility of a call
for tender to study the impact of free trade and the environment and their
effect on the sustainable development. The administrative board will consider
first this topic.
§
The working group on local government will
participate in a forum to be held during 2002
§
3 new topics will be treated:
§ Funding and cooperation as a new programme (poinpointed as the priority
topic).
§ Types of consumption and waste management will be dealt with via
partners (RAC/PAP would coordinate the work of identifying posible partners,
evaluate the programmes and further setting up of a Mediterranean network).
§ On agriuclture and rural development Blue Plan has been put in charge
(working the MCSD in partnership with FAO, ICAMAS, etc.)
For
the next (8th) meeting of the MCSD Algeria showed their willing to
be the host.
********
Calendrier
international / International calendar
4 July 2002
Athens.
Mediterranean Youth Meeting. Organization: MARE.
7 July 2002
Athens.
Meeeting of ONGs SMAP.
8-10 July 2002.
Athens. II
Ministerial Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership on the
Environment SMAP
(SMAP).
From 26 August to 4 September 2002. Johannesburg. II
World on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and Global Forum of WSSD.
18-26 November
2002. Valencia. COP 8. RAMSAR
November 2002.
Tunis.
Meeting of the Mediterranean Council of MED Forum
Nota: If some member of MED Forum plans to
attend at some of these international Conferences, please inform the
Secretariat of the Net (e-mail. Medforum@medforum.org), in order to coordinate
the participation of our organization.
|
MED Forum reçoit le
soutien de / MED Forum receives the
support of: EUROPEAN
COMISSION
DG ENV. |
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