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Highlights from Tuesday, 19 December
 The Plenary convened all day
for the special segment on the implementation of the Convention and
heard 38 statements from high-level officials and representatives of
UN agencies and specialized bodies. The ad
hoc working group on the review of CCD implementation (AHWG) met
to consider the Asian regional report, and six country reports.
Informal consultations continued on the additional regional
implementation annex to the Convention and the informal working
group on programme and budget was also convened.
Above photo: H.E. Mr. Abraham Dukere (Guinea) giving his
plenary statement
where he highlighted the repercussions of the 10-year civil
war on Guinea and called for international support because it is the
source of many rivers serving the region.
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Plenary:
Special segment on the implementation of the Convention
UNEP Executive Secretary Klaus Töpfer said the CCD is a chance for
the North and South to enter a global compact to secure our common future.
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Mr. Joachim Tappe (German Parliament) on behalf of the THIRD
ROUND TABLE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS called for a new GEF
window for financing CCD implementation.
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*RealAudio of the Plenary Statements to follow soon
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H.E. Ms. Sigrun Møgedal (Norway) called for the
empowerment of marginalized peoples and urged developed
countries to be accountable for their commitments.
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H.E. Mr. Mamadou Lamine Ba (Senegal) called for the
establishment of a subsidiary body to review progress CCD implementation.
H.E.
Mr. Ali bin Saad Altokhais (Saudi Arabia)
saw no justification to exclude the CCD from GEF benefits unless
the CCD is of little concern to the international community and
should be renamed the convention of the poor.
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ad
hoc Working Group on Implementation:
Regional Report
 The
ASIAN REGIONAL REPORT outlined the activities of the thematic
programme networks on monitoring and assessment (TPN1) and on
agroforestry and soil conservation in arid, semi-arid and
sub-humid areas (TPN2) and the conclusions of the third regional
meeting of CCD focal points. The conclusions included the need
for: consistent partnership agreements with UN agencies and
other partners; support to grass�roots organizations, NGOs and
community based organizations; better understanding of the
features of CCD benchmarks and indi�cators. Delegates then
discussed the value of sharing expertise, how regional efforts
feed back into the countries, and how the recognition of Central
Asia as a new sub-region will affect ongoing work. Donor
countries were urged to support the thematic programme networks.
Above photo (L-R): Representative from the Secretariat, Willem
van Cotthem (Belgium), Octavio Perez Pardo (Argentina) and
a representative from Turkmenistan.
Davlatsho Gulmakhmadou (Tajikistan), outlined the
progress of its NAP and said that while NAP implementation had
been delayed, measures to combat land degradation, manage soil
salinization, and address water erosion have been carried
out.
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Tsohio Borjigdhan Adiyasuren (Mongolia), described its
1992 action plan to combat desertification, noting measures to
involve stakeholders, advance decentralization and land tenure
reform, and realize environmental synergies.
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