"Is the United States a 'failed state'?" - Civil Society Forum at Doha off to a challenging start

“Is the United States a ‘failed state’? Its financial mismanagement has triggered a worldwide crisis.”

These were the words of Social Watch coordinator Roberto Bissio, a challenge to some 300 civil society delegates meeting yesterday at the Civil Society Forum in Doha, Qatar.

The Draft Declaration to be considered by the Forum states that:

The world is consumed by an urgent triple crisis of energy, food and finance that not only threatens the realization of the MDGs, but also the stability of the world’s economies.

The Northern governments and financial system are responsible for the current financial crisis, but the costs and the impacts are paid for by the entire world, and by the poorest countries in particular. Moreover, climate change is threatening the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, in the North and the South.

The Forum is addressing the international crises that threaten our climate, development and social justice, and developing recommendations for change to carry into the official Conference starting on November 29. The draft declaration (PDF), accompanied by an extensive folio of key recommendations, constructively addresses the six point agenda of the official conference in detail.

Yesterday's opening plenary was moderated by Rosa Lizarde, from the GCAP Feminist Task Force. Here is her account of the day:

Yesterday we opened the Civil Society Forum on Financing for Development in Doha, "Investing in a People-Centered Development." The opening plenary included the participation of H.E. Ambassador Mohammed Abdullah Al Mutib Rumaihi, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Roberto Bissio who presented the keynote address on the trends, challenges, the financial crisis and the impact on the FfD process, among other points.

As the moderator, I highlighted the current climate in which we are meeting, "No doubt, in the past six years since Monterrey we have seen many changes in the economic, social and financial sectors. As you all may recall, six months prior to the FfD in Monterrey, in September of 2001, a shock was felt around the world and it undoubtedly colored the outcomes of Monterrey. These days, the world is experiencing other shocks and other stresses that will also, no doubt, color or shade the outcome of Doha. "

It was a full day of activities, with work being done on the civil society draft Declaration, break out groups focused on the six agenda items of the Draft Outcome Document, analysis on the state of negotiations, and workshops in the evening on various topics of discussion.

The Forum continues today, when a Final Declaration will be agreed on for delivery to the official Conference.

Read the full text of the Civil Society Forum Day 1 press release:
Crisis the focus as Civil Society gathers for two day debate

Other documents and materials:
Financing for Development 2008