(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson)
Jerusalem, 13 August 2002
The Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development will convene between August 26 and September 4, 2002. The Summit constitutes a high-level forum designed to promote policies integrating economic, environmental and social considerations. Sustainable development integrates the principles of dynamic economic development with the protection of the environment and natural resources, alongside the creation of a stable and egalitarian society.
The Summit will convene a decade after the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio adopted Agenda 21 as the global programme of action for sustainable development. The Johannesburg Summit will examine the progress made in the implementation of the programme, and discussions will be held on the means to promote Agenda 21 in the future.
Sixty thousand people are expected to attend the Summit and accompanying events, including seventy Heads of State.
On August 4, 2002, the Government of Israel approved the proposal of Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Environment Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, whereby the Israeli Government attaches great importance to the protection of the local and global environment and sustainable development, viewing it as a component of Israeli policy.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Environment Minister Tzachi Hanegbi will represent Israel at the Summit.
As part of the preparations for the Summit, an inter-ministerial team has been established, headed by the Foreign Ministry and the Environment Ministry. The team is working on the formulation of an Israeli programme of action to deal with the relevant issues, on a national, regional and international level.
In the context of the preparations for the Summit, the Information and Internet Department of the Foreign Ministry has today (August 13, 2002) launched an internet site on the Israeli delegation attending the Summit. The purpose of the website is to present information on developments in Israel in the realm of sustainable development, as well as to provide information on the Israeli activity at the Johannesburg Summit.
The website is based upon Israeli documents and publications on subjects relating to the Summit published by the various Government ministries and institutions, as well as details on the composition and activity of the Israeli delegation at Johannesburg. The website will be updated in the run-up to the Summit, and during the Summit itself.
The website address:
http://johannesburgsummit.mfa.gov.il
Selected statements and publications: