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Highlights from Wednesday, 13 December
 Delegates
met in morning and afternoon sessions of the Committee on Science
and Technology (CST) to consider the roster of experts, survey of
networks, traditional knowledge and early warning systems. The
Committee of the Whole (COW) met briefly in the morning and
nominated the Co-Chairs of the Bureau of the ad-hoc
working group, after which it adjourned to facilitate regional group
consultations. It convened again in the afternoon to consider
programme and budget issues and decided to establish open-ended
informal groups on these issues.
Above photo(R-L): COW Chair Kabelo Mafura (Lesotho)
with Executive Secretary, Hama Arba Diallo during a morning session
of The
Committee of the Whole
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The
Committee of the Whole:
 CANADA
indicated it had proposals to address the reservations placed on
the document on Implementation of the Convention (ICCD/COP(4)/2/Add.7),
which lacks a detailed methodology for the working group, and
supported the EU proposal made Tuesday to establish a contact group
to discuss the nature and timing of the intercessional meetings.
Right photo: Philip Baker (Canada)
making an intervention at the morning session of The COW
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 The
G-77/CHINA: proposed allocating new resources to the ad-hoc
working group on early warning systems; noted the clean audit report
but disagreed with a recommendation to do away with the small
assessed contributions from UN member states; and sought
clarification from the GM about a carry-over in the 1999 budget
without COP approval, and a US$2 million donation from the Islamic
Bank that is not reflected in the report.
Left photo:
Nigeria's Osita Anaedu speaking on behalf of G77/China
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In response to JAPAN’s question on the relation
between the RCUs and CCD, ARGENTINA pointed to the regional
coordination activities mentioned in the CCD’s four regional
implementation annexes. CANADA said the effort duplicated
existing regional initiatives.
Right photo: Octavio Perez Pardo (Argentina) making an
intervention at the COW afternoon session
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Committee
of Science and Technology:
Left
photo: Rafael Obregon (Mexico)
highlighted the need for synergies with similar efforts in other
regions.
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MOROCCO's Diab Abderrahim questioned how using copyrights would
work in practice, noting that individuals do not own such
knowledge.
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France's
Antoine Cornet speaking for the EU applauded the work of the on the
ad hoc panel on Traditional Knowledge and the Italian
Initiative
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The WMO's
M.V.K. Sivakumar (Left) called
for, inter alia, development of vulnerability profiles, assessment of
social and economic impacts of drought and establishment of
coordinated and multidisciplinary institutions focusing on drought
management and national drought policies
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Side Events:
Right
photo: Walter Reid of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
gave a lunch time powerpoint presentation on the Ecosystem
Approach
The
GEF gave a lunchtime presentation on the operation,
mechanics and history of the Global Environment Facility.
The presentation also tackled on how the GEF can support
projects that can protect the environment from land degradation.
The
GTZ made a presentation on "Process Monitoring,
Impact Indicators and Monitoring - Evaluation Action Programmes
to Combat Desertification", the event was moderated by
Christoph Beier
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