World Summit on Sustainable Development

Over the past six months, the international community has sought to outline a comprehensive approach to development. The World Trade Organization’s Doha meeting late last year and the United Nation’s Monterrey summit in March dealt with trade and finance, respectively. In September 2002, world leaders will gather in Johannesburg, South Africa, to examine the relationship among economic, environmental, and social challenges. The World Summit on Sustainable Development will mark the ten-year anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit.

Under Secretary Paula Dobriansky is responsible for America’s summit-related diplomacy. As she prepares to lead the U.S. delegation to the final preparatory conference in early June in Indonesia, Under Secretary Dobriansky will lay out the Bush administration’s partnership-oriented approach to sustainable development, as well as its goals for the World Summit.

Following her remarks, Under Secretary Dobriansky will take questions from the audience to foster a discussion on these issues.