The document commits DAC Members to support partner developing countries in the formulation and implementation of nssds . Based on experiences in the past and on extensive discussions within various fora, it is timely to clarify the opportunities and risks presented by the nssd target and in particular to specify the role of development co-operation in assisting partner developing countries in the formulation and implementation of nssds . Nssds offer the opportunity to analyse a country's or region s economic, social and environmental development trends, to take stock of interrelated policies and plans, and to identify key problems. On this basis, nssds are a way to formulate strategic goals and begin necessary action towards sustainable development, to design and implement institutional reforms, to improve policy coherence across sectors, and to benefit from synergies. At the regional or sub-regional level, nssds offer the opportunity to identify common challenges between neighbouring countries with different social, economic and environmental circumstances and to facilitate the emergence of regional approaches to address them.
Sustainable development requires the mobilisation of society at large.
Nssds potentially are new types of participatory planning processes based on continuous democratic dialogues and debates amongst broad sections of society. This involves building ownership in, not only government and administration at all levels, but also in civil society such as the business community, NGOs, the rural and urban communities, the media, the scientific community etc. Nssds are internationally recognised as the way of giving shape to governments' commitment to the goal of sustainable development as spelt out in Agenda 21, balancing sound technical analysis with participatory planning processes. While the preparation of strategic documents plays a role in mobilising stakeholders and identifying common objectives, making the formulation of a nssd a strategic target of development co-operation could lead partner developing countries and donor agencies to concentrate efforts on the preparation of expert documents while neglecting the process dimension of nssd formulation and the environmental change results, thereby missing crucial opportunities. The nssd target could be perceived by partner developing countries and donor agencies as yet another addition to existing planning and reporting requirements.