Partnerships are considered one of the most participatory and effective mechanisms to implement sustainable development and enhance international cooperation.

Partnerships for sustainable development have a special character; they are voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiatives specifically linked to the implementation of globally agreed commitments in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation), Agenda 21 and/or the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21. However, these partnerships are not a substitute for government responsibilities and commitments; they are intended to facilitate, strengthen and expedite implementation by involving those relevant stakeholders that can make a contribution to sustainable development.

A Partnerships Forum will be organized at Rio+20. The Forum will consist of highly dynamic and interactive sessions to highlight the significant contributions of partnerships to the implementation of sustainable development.

Drawing on a decade of valuable lessons learned and experiences since WSSD, the Forum also aims to identify and showcase dedicated partnerships to facilitate the implementation of priority actions to be agreed at the Rio+20 Conference as well as strengthen this collaborative mechanism to make it an even more accountable vehicle for implementation.

Please access here a flyer with brief information on the Partnership Forum.

We invite all stakeholders to participate actively in the Partnerships Forum.