Call from the Participants of the Forum of Lyon

The Declaration of the XIIIth Summit of Heads of State and Government (Montreux, Switzerland, 22nd of October 2012) reaffirmed the need to strengthen solidarity in the French speaking countries towards the challenges of sustainable development, including food security, desertification, climate change and biodiversity.

For this occasion, the Heads of State and Government pledged to seek joint positions for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio in 2012. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) has therefore endeavoured to mobilize, for the success of this conference, its Member States and Governments, its scientific community, its local leaders and civil society.

It is within this political framework and its commitment that the Francophonie invited various stakeholders to interact in Lyon and formulate proposals amenable to converging political positions to:

? First, create and secure a renewed international and national commitment in favor of Sustainable Development;

? Next, review the progress made since the adoption of the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21 in 1992, and the

Johannesburg Plan of Implementation in 2002, but also the gaps and difficulties encountered in the implementation of these commitments;

? Meet the challenges from new and emerging issues and propose courses of action and practical solutions for achieving sustainable development;

? Consider the two themes chosen for discussion in Rio+20: the green economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development, and the institutional framework of governance for sustainable development.

Considering the negotiating text ?The future we want? which consists of five parts:

? The preamble;

? The renewed political commitment;

? The green economy in the context of sustainable development and eradication of poverty;

? The institutional framework for sustainable development;

? The framework for action and monitoring.

The Lyon Forum has prepared the contribution of Francophone actors to the negotiation process, as it was done for the Rio Summit in 1992 and Johannesburg in 2002. In advance of the High Level Forum on the 8th and 9th of February, thematic workshops were organized, bringing together Frenchspeaking

experts from different fields : forestry, finance, energy transition, local authorities, social responsibility and standards for sustainable development, environmental law, and environmental justice, sustainable development and information, training and skills, innovation and eco-design, culture and sustainable development, access to essential services for sustainable development, media and sustainable development, youth and green jobs.