Negotiating in the United Nations is a complex process, in which even expert participants
can
stumble and in which the less expert can get totally lost and frustrated. Procedures are sometimes
laborious and time-wasting, and sometimes jump forward with such speed that important points are
lost. Non- governmental participation can be particularly problematic - welcomed and encouraged
by some of the participants some of the time, distrusted or excluded by others at other times.
The experience of Earth Summit II shows a number of issues on which improvements might
be
made:
- analysis, coordination and preparatory
work within the United Nations system;
- allocation of tasks and issues to
appropriate forums
- political promotion and animation
of the process;
- improved negotiating procedures -
how to secure effective and adequate participation of a full
range of all concerned government departments, and of all major groups of civil society.
The United Nations system is full of excellent analysis and reports in many different
parts of its
structure, all bearing on sustainable development in its various aspects. However, coordination and
implementation are harder to achieve.
