September 04, 2002

A press conference too far. Thabo Mbeki and Ministers Zuma, Moosa and Erwin looked shattered as they gave a final press conference – like hostages released after a long, tense siege.

The media asked a string of leaden questions, each taking his or her hobby horse out for one last ride.

Mr Mbeki answered with dignity and patience – but at great length, as Minister Zuma nodded off by his side.

"These are precisely matters of life and death," he said. True words – but enough, really, for tonight.

Oh and by the way, our much vaunted definitive answer on corporate responsibility hasn't proved so definitive after all. The US had a last ace up its sleeve and played it with uncertain effect. We'll try and clarify this tomorrow - and provide a summit retrospective. But for now, we await the South African president who is on his way to speak to us now...

It was strangely restful sitting at the very back of the summit's final plenary.

First, we heard from a long list of countries who wished to express reservations of one kind or another about the proposed agreements. There were three types of list. From some developing countries, passionate cries that the summit could and should have done more. From, the United States a long list of items it didn't really agree with, delivered at breakneck speed, and greeted by more boos. And from a middle group, small, but detailed and technical concerns.

Then a long, long, long adjournment, while horse trading continued to arrive at a political declaration anodyne enough that everyone could agree to it. At last, the meeting was called back to order, and then the plan of implementation was adopted without argument and at great speed.

But still the summit refused to die. For another cruel hour – speakers thanked the South Africans, civil society and each other, while speculating about how happy we will all feel if the summit's fine commitments are somehow achieved.

No-one, of course, thanked the media (why would they?) – and as the delegates celebrate and the NGOs commiserate, we wait for one last press conference with Thabo Mbeki…

And now it is over!  At 7.44 this evening, the World Summit's plan of implementation was adopted - and at 7.54, the third draft of political declaration was adopted too (against Daily Summit's earlier prediction)...

European, Latin American and many other developing countries are using today's closing plenary to commit themselves to a voluntary alliance on renewable energy. Especially nerdish Daily Summiteers will remember that you first heard about this "coalition of the willing" when we interviewed EU Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallström, just after she had to fold on the renewable energy target...

In comments on Powell's hecklers, Daily Summit readers have so far come down against the protestors. Click here to contribute...

In the news. Seasons becoming muddled. Meacher and Prescott quiet. Powell has an understudy. Australia stands with US on Kyoto. Oil executives seek a 'kinder face'. Summit rejects energy targets. Blair refutes Daily Mail accusation. Ireland leads on plastic bags. Canada and Russia save protocol.

Daily Summit hears that a new draft of the political declaration was released half an hour ago. We are trying to track a copy down as the word is there are still serious obstacles to be overcome if this or any declaration is to be adopted.

For new readers, Daily Summit is a blog - read the what and why of this here, or head to this interesting discussion on Slate (via Instapundit - blogger-in-chief).

The day so far. "Thanks President Bush for making the US so unpopular," reads the scrawl on an American flag erected by US NGOs outside the press conference room here in Sandton.

Indeed, this has been a horrible day for the world's only superpower. Last night, the US suffered a serious setback on corporate responsibility (see here, confirmed by Daily Summit here) and one that seems to raise questions about the competence of its negotiators.

This morning, meanwhile, its Secretary of State was heckled throughout his speech to the summit, mostly by his fellow countrymen (see here).

Daily Summit made the trip beyond the Sandton perimeter to where the US delegation has its press office, expecting some reaction from them on recent events. Courteously received as always, your correspondent came away empty handed. Not for the first time, this nation of great communicators had nothing to say...

At last, Daily Summit has the definitive answer on corporate responsibility.  A few moments ago the secretary of the main committee, here at the World Summit, confirmed to us that last night's 'interpretative note' on corporate responsibility has no legal status and will not appear in the notes from what was an action-packed meeting (see here).

This means that the door now seems to be definitively open for new international agreements to regulate the conduct of multi-national businesses.

We read this as an impressive victory for Friends of the Earth and an embarrassing defeat for the US government. The US delegation was only persuaded to make a deal, when it was offered this interpretative note as a sweetener. However, this hard won concession has turned out to be a mirage (we think).

In the news Powell gets a rough ride. He mounts a defence of US. Some walk out. Women's rights clause resolved. Conservationists disagree on outcome. Some think Bush won handsomely. Civic groups go on protest. Norway pledges money for renewable energy. Youth collapse with food poisoning. Australian PM criticised for not being there. Korea pledges money for education. Summit begins wind down.

Daily Summit has finally found out that protestors, who were mostly from American NGOs, were chanting "Down with Bush" during Secretary of State Powell's speech earlier today.

Daily Summit can confirm that there is utter confusion over the state of the corporate accountability text agreed last night.

Full details of what happened are in an earlier post but we have now confirmed with the UN Secretariat that even they are unclear about what happened last night.

Meanwhile, in the story that no-one is covering, the political declaration is in real trouble. As far as we understand, a second draft has still not been produced as promised by Minister Zuma last night. The Secretariat is now considering not having a political declaration at all and instead opting for the much weaker form of a president's declaration.

This would be a humiliation for the South African government and a serious step back for the summit as a whole.

It's not conspiracy here, it's cock-up as the process threatens to fall apart.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was treated in a shameful manner, as he was heckled and booed at numerous points in plenary during his ten minute speech at the World Summit today. Secretary Powell's speech was remarkably uncompromimsing however as he delivered a series of messages the US knows the world doesn't want to hear.

Mr Powell strongly supported the US position on genetically modified crops, Zimbabwe, renewable energy, climate change, trade as a means to development, and private sector involvement in the provision of public services.

Protestors were bundled from the chamber as Mr Powell spoke and Minister Zuma demanded an end to "unacceptable" behaviour.

His voice husky, and looking shaken, Mr Powell said his African ancestors would have understood what he was doing in Johannesburg.

Much of his audience certainly did not however, and it is now abundantly clear why it would have been impossible for President Bush to have attended this summit.

Daily Summit will bring you reaction to this extraordinary speech as the day continues.

In the news Kyoto to be signed months? 90% of apes habitat to disappear. Powell finally makes it. FoE claims summit is a sell out. Business declares it a success. Latest from Naomi Klein. UK press round-up on Mugabe attack. More Kyoto dissent in Canada. 10 words hold up agreement. Negotiator burn midnight oil. Greenpeace invade refinery. Summit quotes. Cheap laterines could save millions.

Following a controlled use of force which saw protestors shoved to the ground on occasions, the civil society demonstration has now been moved the quarter of a mile from Sandton Square to Speakers Corner.

Charles Secrett, Friends of the Earth, is still in the crowd, though Daily Summit believes that Vanadana Shiva escaped before the police cordon tightened around the group...

Police have now pushed demonstrators into the main road outside the perimeter of the Sandton Convention Centre, using a certain amount of force. It is unclear what their tactics are now as the South African government has been at pains to avoid illegal marches in the street. The traffic is now partially blocked and the demonstrators await the next move from the police.

If anyone is to be arrested it is the many cameramen on the march who, in search of the perfect photo, are very reluctant to move when the police want them to.

Police have now linked arms around the protestors and are bundling them out of the Square, a nasty crush is ensuing and the protestors are beginning to chant "No More Summit."

It is boisterous but mostly peaceful so far. Guido Prick, BMW spokesman readers will remember from yesterday, looks on anxiously as the crowd bumps against his precious tent.

"True civil society is here today," Vandana Shiva tells the Daily Summit at today's demonstration, joining with Friends of the Earth's Charles Secrett saying that if "other groups don't join us now, we're sure they will have to join us soon".

According to Ms Shiva, the groups are withdrawing from the summit dominated by the WTO and corporations. Private sector involvement in the provision of water and bio-technology was "a crime against people and the earth"

"When governments and companies fail to deliver," said Mr Secrett, "you have to withdraw consent from what they're doing"

As we speak, police are gradually forcing demonstrators off the steps in Sandton Square where they have been sitting for over an hour. The police strategy seems to be to attempt to sweep demonstrators from the square with a minimum of physical confrontation. Demonstrator leaders are reacting by advising the crowd to wander round the square in small clumps.

The situation continues to develop...

Civil society groups walk out from the summit and withdraw consent from government, corporation and organisations they describe as "perpetuating destructive processes".

Currently, a demonstration of around 50 people is talking place in Sandton Square, from which regular readers will remember demonstrators were forcibly removed by police yesterday morning.

Prominent members of the crowd include anti-globalisation activist Vandana Shiva and Charles Secrett, head of Friends of the Earth in the UK.

Within the convention centre, efforts continue to persuade more groups to walk out and, the demonstrators seem hopeful that some government delegates will join them.

As yet there is no police presence, but Daily Summit will keep you posted.

Some of you may balk at reading the long post below. So here's the bottom line: (1) the implementation plan has been agreed; (2) text connecting health to human rights is included; (3) text connecting environment and human rights has been weakened; (4) no-one (literally) knows what has been agreed on corporate responsibility; (5) the political declaration is far from being ready; (6) chaos reigns.

At 12.59 tonight, the plan of implementation was finalised - days after observers had predicted.

The last few hours of the negotiations saw frantic activity behind the scenes, with - as far as Daily Summit could ascertain - South Africa acting as a broker, while the Canadians and the G77 group of developing countries developed mutually acceptable text on health and human rights.

At a committee meeting delayed for around three hours, Dr Dlamini Zuma, South African Foreign Minister, presented compromise text on three paragraphs (6d, 47 and 58) which she told the meeting were to be "taken as a package."

The crucial passage now commits the world’s governments to take action to ensure health systems can deliver basic health care services to all "in conformity with human rights and fundamental freedoms, and consistent with national laws and cultural and religious values." This seems to be a significant victory for the human rights lobby, though Daily Summit awaits its reaction later this morning.

The meeting chair asked for objections to this text and swiftly announced it passed, having failed to notice that a country delegation was requesting to speak. Fortunately, this delegation required only a minor clarification and, to applause, the last obstacle to agreement was resolved. Soon after, the plan as a whole had been endorsed by the committee.

The drama was not over, however, with the meeting degenerating into chaos as corporate responsibility reared its head once more (see our fullish coverage of this issue).

Ambassador Ashe, from Antigua and Barbuda, read out an "interpretative note" from the informal contact group that had considered this issue. According to the note, the group considered that the text on corporate responsibility referred only to existing international agreements, despite the text itself referring to the "full development and effective implementation of intergovernmental agreements and measures."

Contrary to Friends of the Earth's briefing and our earlier post, Daily Summit now believes the contact group had always intended to fudge this issue. It gave with one hand in the text (yes, new agreements can be developed on corporate responsibility) and took with the other in the interpretative note (no, they can't).

The plot then thickened (yes, seriously). After the note was read out, the chair, facing a sea of hands, invited the Ethiopian delegate to speak. He made a delightful intervention, asking for the logic of the contact group’s illogical stance to be explained.

Ambassador Ashe made a half-hearted attempt to clarify, but the Ethiopian gentleman persisted. Either the text or the interpretative note must be discarded, he said, as the text called for development, while the note made it clear "there will be no future to develop." Clearly, the text could not be changed (it had just been adopted), so "if the group wants to comment, let them come back with a logical comment," he concluded.

At this point, the Chair mumbled a decision on the matter, further obscuring a wonderfully confused situation. The consensus afterwards was that he seemed to have taken responsibility for adding the interpretative note to the meeting record, over Ethiopia's objections.

Norway, however, was not satisfied and its delegate developed a new critique. "Informal contact groups do not exist [gloss: their informal status facilitates discussion - and they have no formal standing] and they should not be referred to," she said. "We would like to have this statement added to the record."

So, in the end, an illogical statement from a non-existent group was (probably) entered into the meeting record, but so was an objection to this action. And the status of the corporate accountability text? Anyone's guess - though it is hard to see how the interpretative note holds any force.

And, with that, the meeting was over…

Except it wasn't. More hands had gone up, with delegates now asking about the political declaration [quick catch-up: this is the short "mood" document that accompanies the dull, but worthwhile, implementation plan.]

Minister Zuma said that the South Africans had now received as many suggestions on the draft her government prepared and circulated on Monday morning "as there are people here in this room." Despite this, a new draft would be ready in the morning, she promised.

"But how will we discuss and agree it?" delegates asked. The Chair seemingly had no idea, repeatedly blocking questions. Daily Summit notes that (a) the new draft is not ready; (b) delegations are sure to have comments on draft 2; (c) there is no process for reaching agreement on this declaration; (d) the summit's closing ceremony is at 3 pm today, just 12 hours away.

Yes, it seems that some very tired people are doing their best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. A few days ago, the summit seemed on course. Now, time is running out fast…

The missing 4000. At 12.59, the plan of implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development was finally approved by the summit's main committee - in advance of its formal approval in plenary tomorrow.

There are 4012 media representatives accredited to the summit - I'd be very suprised if 12 of them were present at this crucial milestone...

More on this story soon.

George Monbiot eviscerated by the Bleat - it's a blood sport and probably should be banned...