By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncorp1water110809.html
UNITED NATIONS, November 8 -- "Water is the new carbon," the UN's Nikhil Chandavarkar told the Press on November 6. Following a debate in the UN General Assembly's Second Committee, he told a press conference that it is important to "set a price for water."
Inner City Press asked him about criticism of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's "CEO Water Mandate" for inviting in corporations like Coca-Cola, Suez and Nestle which are accused of negative impacts on lower income people. Video here, from Minute 38:56.
Chandavarkar said the while the CEO Water Mandate came out of the UN Global Compact, it is not the UN's role to assess particular corporations' behavior, including with respect to water. He said that the UN views the private sector of "one of the nine major groups" and tried to give corporations' view an airing.
When Inner City Press followed up asking if corporations really get only one-ninth of the voice and power on the issue, Chandavarkar turned the questions around. That NGOs protested to Ban about his CEO Water Mandate, he said with a smile, is "a tribute to the UN." Video here, from Minute 41:18.
Chandavarkar went further, telling Inner City Press that the "very fact that you are able to raise the issue shows that we are getting the airing from them."
Apparently the argument is that Inner City Press should be so grateful for being "able to raise the issue" that... it shouldn't raise the issue. And the NGOs who wrote to Ban Ki-moon should realize that this is being used by the UN against their position.
They said that "through the CEO Water Mandate, the U.N. is helping to advance corporate control of water.” The UN says that the letter proves that the UN is fair. Only at the UN...
