Brussels, 22/08/2002 (Agence Europe) - During the "Earth Summit" on 26 August - 4 September in Johannesburg, the objective of European employers (UNICE) will be to put together a new programme for sustainable development. The organisation will be setting out five priorities that should contribute to eradicating poverty, improving investment management, technological development and the quality of life for everyone but also the improving utilisation of human resources: 1) priority for economic growth; 2) producing more with less; 3) implementation of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA); 4) good governance at all levels; 5) development of different capacities.
UNICE set out its five priorities in a press release and stressed the need to: encourage the spirit of enterprise and economic growth; devise new technologies that respect available resources; distribute existing technical know-how; highlight research and the use of natural resources. UNICE (which points out that over the next fifty years the world population would grow to 9 billion), wants voluntary initiatives to be taken by companies that encourage "good practices" and promote good governance at all levels, a preliminary prerequisite for attracting investors and therefore sustainable development. European employers also called for the promotion of partnerships between governments, companies, international agencies, Project leaders, NGOs and aid beneficiaries for optimising the exploitation of existing resources in developing countries. Commenting on this contribution, UNICE Secretary General, Philippe de Buck called on the Johannesburg Summit to "keep its Rio de Janeiro promises". "Companies are ready to be part of the solution, but they need a framework that is motivating and which fixes the conditions expected by business leaders".