ENB @ CCD COP-5

J.N de Klerk, Project Manager, Dirctorate of Environmental Affairs, Namibia		J.G.S Steenkamp, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Namibia
Participants in the Africa Group		Traore Fanta Keita, Mali
Georgette Bilonda, Congo		Delegates continue to work late into the evening
A number of delegates from the Central Asian Republics chatting informally		Zenabo Wasai, National Focal Point, Ghana
Mohammad Reza Salamat, Iran		12:00 midnight. The contact group on programme and budget has broken up again after another deadlock… An agreement two hours ago to establish a permanent CRIC that meets for two weeks in between COPs and two weeks during the COP is the cause of the delay. Apparently, having initially agreed on a 12% budget increase for the Secretariat and a 33% increase for the Global Mechanism, this new decision on the CRIC requires a renegotiation of these amounts. But after an hour-and-a-half of negotiating, there is still no agreement and the prospect of the COW resuming in the next hour seems quite ambitious…
President Basset convened the final Plenary session at 6:50 am Saturday Listen to Charles Basset's comments on the workings of the COP		Charles Basset
Mohammed Reza Jabbari (left) with Otto Gustafik		At 2:40 am on Saturday, 13 October, Chair Jabbari convened the last meeting of the COW in parallel with the contact group on programme and budget and invited delegates to adopt its draft decisions for transmission to the COP

	Scenes from Room 18 (The Plenary)
Left to right: Jos Lubbers, Tim Foy and Ulrike Bickel
Adoption of the Report of the COW: Introducing the report and draft decisions of the group, COW Chair Jabbari noted that the Committee had successfully concluded its work, and was recommending for adoption11 draft decisions, as amended by the COW, on: * programme of Work * review of implementation * review of available information regarding the financing of Convention implementation by multilateral agencies and institutions, including information on the activities of the Global Environment Facility concerning desertification that relate to its four focal areas, as specified in Article 20, paragraph 2 (b) of the Convention * review of activities for the promotion and strengthening of relationships with other relevant Conventions relevant international organizations, institutions and agencies * consideration of rule 47 of the Rules of procedure * World Summit on Sustainable Development * World Day to Combat Desertification * additional procedures for institutional mechanisms to assist the COP in regularly reviewing the implementation of the Convention. The G-77/China amended all references in the text from “committee to review implementation” to the “committee for the review of implementation
Rogatien Biaou		The COP-5 President noted that the adoption of the decision on the CRIC necessitated the election of a CRIC Chair. Basset reported that he had been informed that following informal consultations, it had been agreed that the position would be held on rotational basis with the first Chair coming from the African group, and that Amb. Rougatien Biaou, Benin, had been proposed as Chair Biaou was elected CRIC Chair by acclamation
Finally, delegates considered draft decision on programme and budget for the biennium 2002-2003. Cuba requested that “and a draft scale of assessment” be added to Paragraph 15, which requests the Executive Secretary, in the proposed programme and budget for the biennium 2004-2005 and the performance report, to include detailed tables and narrative of the implemented, as well as proposed expenditures, resource requirements for each subsidiary body under the budget line for substantive support to the COP and its subsidiary bodies specified according to the actual Fund utilized. The meeting was briefly suspended for delegates to consider the new draft decision, and reconvened to adopt it following a minor typographical change. The US asked that her concern about the size of the budget be noted, and said she does not foresee similar increases in the future, noted the lack of transparency with regard to use of the budget and strongly supported budget reform. Brazil made a reservation, noting it will follow the scale of assessment agreed at COP-1. Delegates then adopted the report of COP-5, agreeing that the Rapporteur will finalize the report after the close of the session
Adoption of the Report of the CST: CST Chair Brown then introduced the recommendations transmitted from the CST on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the CST that, inter alia, establishes a group of experts. Chair Brown noted it does not preclude the creation of ad hoc panels in the future. The US highlighted the importance of ensuring adequate representation of affected Parties in the composition of the group of experts. The ten CST decisions were adopted Listen to Chair Brown's closing remarks		Philbert Brown
The meeting was gaveled to a close at 08h18, Saturday, 13 October 2001

	ENB Coverage of previous CCD meetings Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification Fifth Session of the COP website Provisional Agenda Provisional list of Official Documents Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group to COP5 Official Documents of COP4
ï¿½ 2001, Earth Negotiations Bulletin. All rights reserved.	\| Linkages home \| E-Mail \|