Identifying requirements for international technical assistance for sustainable development

As an important aspect of overall planning, Agenda 21 recommends that each country should seek internal consensus at all levels of society on policies and programmes needed for short- and long-term capacity-building to implement its Agenda 21 programme. This consensus should result from a participatory dialogue of relevant interest groups and lead to an identification of skill gaps, institutional capacities and capabilities, technological and scientific requirements and resource needs to enhance environmental knowledge and administration to integrate environment and development. UNDP, in partnership with relevant specialized agencies and other international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations could assist, at a government's request, in identifying requirements for technical cooperation, including those related to technology transfer and know-how and development assistance for the implementation of Agenda 21. The national planning process, together with appropriate national sustainable development action plans or strategies, should provide the framework for such cooperation and assistance.

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.