Excellency, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro,

Friends and colleagues,

I am pleased to welcome you all at the 16th Meeting of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for the Arab States.

Six months ago the RCM met to discuss the key features of the popular movements in the Arab States and to deliberate on new ways for engagement between the United Nations and regional stakeholders in support of the current wave of social demands and expectations of the transition to democracy. Now we meet again while the people and governments of the region are redrawing the boundaries of the expected and possible in terms of rights, demands and justice. They are redefining what it means to be an Arab citizen of the world today. The process is fragile yet full of promise.

As practitioners of development, almost a year after the processes of change were dramatically unleashed, we can no longer assume that we have the privilege of the observer. We have a role to play in the unfolding events. We need to be fully engaged in ensuring that development is sustainable.

Over the next two days, we will discuss sustainable development as a central priority issue for the region during this transitional period; we will deliberate on the outcome of the regional preparatory process for Rio+20; and we will consider the policy options to promote sustainable development in the region. I have closely followed the regional preparatory work for Rio+20 and the outcome the Regional Preparatory Conference held in Cairo. The controversy remains over the two main themes of Rio+20: green economy in relation to poverty eradication, and the institutional framework for sustainable development. However, the recommendations are very clear on what the governments of the region do NOT want:

• They do not want to renegotiate what was agreed in Rio in 1992. The principles of Rio are non-negotiable;
• They do not want the concept of green economy to be used to impose trade barriers, protectionist policies, nor to impede the ability of our economies to compete in global markets and affect the economic growth necessary in the Arab region;
• They do not want a new institutional framework for sustainable development to place additional burdens on the countries of the region;
• They do not want any new declarations that relieve developed countries of their responsibilities and their promised support to developing countries. The principle of common but differentiated responsibility must be respected.

We need to consider these recommendations constructively: the region wants its concerns to be taken into account, its specificity to be respected. We need to listen.

As we deliberate on how to move forward on sustainable development in the region, we need to keep in mind that the three pillars of sustainable development, social, economic and environmental, need to be complemented with a fourth: the political pillar. While people took to the streets in protest over rising food prices and dwindling job opportunities, they were reclaiming their political rights. They saw political change as the path to social and economic development. Sustainable development is possible, only if we work towards more democratic, participatory, inclusive and transparent political structures.

We must therefore make overt reference in our thinking and our programming to the governance challenges. For too many years we have tempered our discourse in the region citing constraining political structures. There is a window of opportunity now. We must make the best use of it. We can push against the limitations we have previously accepted on our work and advocate ever more strongly the basic and universal principles of the United Nations.

In particular, I would hope that rights are placed once again at the forefront of our collective work: the right to freedom of expression, the right to justice, the right to food and clean water, the right to participate in decision making, the right to jobs, education and healthcare. In short, the right to sustainable development.

I am very pleased to see today among us representatives of civil society. Arab civil society is also changing and the events of the past year have shown that new actors are emerging and old actors are participating in new ways. As a group, the RCM must revisit its approach to partnerships for sustainable development to include state and non-state actors. This is the forum to propose and create multiple frameworks for cooperation.

I note with pleasure the participation of Mr. Achim Steiner, Chair of the High Level Committee on Programmes. The RCM must ensure that our regional message is transmitted clearly and effectively through global policy making channels and I look forward to strong coordination between the RCM and the HLCP in the years to come.

I would like to thank the Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro for her continued and sustained support to the RCM mechanism. Ms. Migiro, your presence here with us for this round of the RCM is very much appreciated.

Friends and colleagues,

It remains up to us, members of the RCM, to make the most of our meeting here today, to think clearly and courageously of the challenges ahead, and to set clear goals and objectives for our future work together. The people of the region are demanding more of their leaders. They are also demanding more of the international community. Our efforts should be equal to their call; we need to respond in a language worthy of their struggle.

Thank you.