| Editorial
The first section of this issue of
Sustainable Mediterranean is dedicated to Municipal Solid Waste Management
in view of its being one of the most serious problems of the Region and in
view of the International Conference and Exhibition on Municipal Solid
Waste Management in the Mediterranean and Arab Regions, co-organised by
RAED, Envirotech and MIO-ECSDE held in Cairo, 6-8 December 1999. The
conference succeeded in bringing together all the shores of the
Mediterranean and in strengthening partnerships in all directions. Some of
our readers were in fact there. For those of you who were not, we will try
to communicate the results of the meeting as best as one can through the
few pages of this newsletter.
The conference has provided MIO-ECSDE with
more insight on the most important elements in the future negotiations and
distribution of roles. The important elements that resulted from this
conference will be put forward to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
together with the real needs of the potential beneficiaries of this
partnership. The outcome of the conference will also be very helpful in
the forthcoming environmental activities to be implemented (World Bank,
UNEP, etc.). We need to secure the active public participation in this
process. We will be able to affect the decision maker and consequently the
grassroots.
Technology, economy, environment and
society are altogether the necessary components of sustainability, and we
have to find the best combination of these elements. All partners must
have a minimum knowledge of these components so that no party
underestimates any other party. We also have to understand better the
needs of the other partners.
Participation will not be effective without
institutional arrangements, facilities and recognition of the NGOs. NGOs
may be the first who believe in voluntary work, but in order to have
voluntary agreements and negotiations, they must also have supporting
regulations and enforce them.
A minimum of infrastructure is necessary
for solid waste management and there is a minimum that the government
should do especially for the poor districts.
There are many similarities and we should
build on these similarities. There are also many differences and it is
good to recognize them in order to prepare our future steps to bring
everybody closer.
The editorial Committee |
