ENB CCD COP-2: Photos and RealAudio for 4 December

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UNCCD COP-2
THE SECOND MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UN CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION
Dakar, Senegal
30 Nov - 11 Dec 1998

Version fran�aise: BNT

Photos and RealAudio from 4 December

Report on the Global Mechanism

	Per Ryden, the Global Mechanism's Managing Director, noted his activities since his appointment two months ago and outlined the strategy he is developing to guide the GM. He grouped GM tasks into eight operational activities, including partnership building, channeling and matchmaking, developing a database, identifying innovative techniques, and marketing and communicating the GM as the frame-work for addressing land degradation issues.
Bahman Mansuri (IFAD, on the right) stressed the Fund's continued support to the CCD and commitment, as the housing institution of the GM, to make GM operations effective. He also reported on the establishment of a Facilitation Committee, which is a collaborative arrangement between IFAD, UNDP and the World Bank that has now expanded to include the CCD Secretariat, the GEF and other regional banks.
	The G-77/CHINA commended the establishment of a Facilitation Committee by IFAD and requested the Secretariat to invite relevant organizations and interested NGOs and the private sector to support IFAD's activities. He called for the GM to be operationalized after COP-2 and stressed the need to set priorities for the GM in accordance with the CCD
AUSTRIA, on behalf of the EU, stressed prioritizing partnership building at all levels, provision of advice on innovative financial mechanisms, identification of CCD technology financing sources, development of a GM database for the establishment of a baseline for future performance and a joint GM/ Secretariat website for awareness services.
	ALGERIA said the mechanism will measure the commitment of the Parties and partners. He sought clarification on the mandate and policies regarding the status of mechanisms and the fund, and of the link between the Managing Director, the President of IFAD and the COP. He stressed the need to look to other things to facilitate the work of the mechanism
The US underscored the importance of collaboration between the Secretariat and the GM and said it was essential to channel funds to the local level.
The Nigerian Environmental Study Team (NEST), on behalf of NGOs at COP-2, asked how the Managing Director would communicate with NGOs and highlighted RIOD, the network of NGOs following the CCD.
Managing Director Ryden's responses to delegates' questions included noting that all of the GM's tasks are related to resource mobilization. He said he would cooperate with RIOD and will also try to reach other NGOs at the community level. He suggested that a full review of the GM might wait until after COP-3, but added that COP-3 could have a meaningful debate on how to move the GM forward.

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