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7th
Session of the Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification
17-28 October 2005, Nairobi, Kenya |
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Earth
Negotiations Bulletin
- ENB |
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Click
on the above days to view previous
ENB Web coverage.
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Highlights
for Friday, 21 October 2005
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The
plenary convened in morning and afternoon sessions to
consider: inclusion of activities of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) within the COP’s official
programme of work; report of the Committee of the Whole
(COW); review of the implementation of the Convention
and of its institutional arrangements; and report of the
seventh session of the Committee on Science and
Technology (CST). COW met in the afternoon to review
activities of the Secretariat and the progress made by
affected countries parties in the implementation of the
Convention and to adopt its report. CST met in the
afternoon to adopt its report. Contact groups met throughout the day
and into the evening to discuss the programme and
budget, draft decisions for the review of the
implementation of the Convention, and regional
coordination units (RCUs).
Above photo: Anna Ballance (UK) (center) in
consultation with members of the European Union (EU).
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PLENARY:
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Above
photos:
COP-7
Vice-President, Jozef Buys (Belgium) (left), chaired the open dialogue session and introduced the theme on
crisis management and long-term adaptation through local action. CCD
Executive Secretary Hama
Arba Diallo
(center) stressed that open dialogue sessions are advancing the
participation of the NGO community in the convention’s work. Franklin
Moore (US) (right) moderated the session.
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Vore
Seck,
Conseil des ONG
d'appui au developpement (CONGAD) launched the dialogue by introducing five case
studies, which demonstrate various aspects of local action in
Africa and
Latin America
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Lorena
Gamboa, FURARE,
spoke
on how local actions contribute to the implementation of the
Rio Conventions.
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Mulugeta
Berhanu, DCG Ethiopia, discussed
on the challenges of moving from responding to crises to
managing for long-term
sustainability.
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Owen
Maparo, CTDT, presented
a case study from Zimbabwe
that
illustrates how long-term local
involvement with a reforestation project has prevented crisis. |
Patrice
Burger, CARI France presented a case
study on the effects of decentralization on local
action in
Northern Mali,
described the challenges and
lessons learnt, and emphasized the importance of providing
people with appropriate tools and support. He rounded
up the discussion by calling for the empowerment of all
stakeholders to implement the CCD. |
Balaam
Facho, presented
a case study from
Chad
demonstrating problems associated with the recent inflow of 300,000 migrants from
Sudan, that has caused further degradation of fragile
ecosystems and conflicts with local indigenous people. |
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REPORTS
OF CST AND CRIC-4:
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CST
Chair Blujdea
reported
that the Committee is considering nine draft decisions and
attempting to approve them on Friday, 21 October. CRIC-4
Chair El
Ghaouth
reported that the contact
group on
draft decisions is making progress in finalizing all draft
texts. However, the Committee was unable to meet due to
unfinished work of the contact group. |
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COMMITTEE OF
THE WHOLE
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Above
photo L-R: CCD
Executive Secretary Hama
Arba Diallo,
Chair Riccardo Valentini and
Vivian Pliner-Josephs, Secretary COP-7
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Above
photos: Chair Valentini (left) opened
the second meeting of the Committee of the Whole (COW) in the
afternoon to discuss the report of the UN Joint Inspection
Unit (JIU) and the Secretariat’s report on the activities of
the Secretariat and CCD implementation. Even Fontaine Ortiz,
JIU (right) made a presentation on the procedure and
methodology adopted and the major recommendations made by JIU.
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Jamaica
on behalf of G-77/CHINA joined by
Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe,
Salvador
and Chile
commended the Secretariat for its leading role in CCD
implementation. She said the JIU recommendations are
consistent with opinions previously expressed by the G-77/CHINA.
Above photo: Cherryl Gordon (Jamaica)
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The
UK on behalf of the EU joined by Norway, Switzerland, Italy,
Australia, the US and Denmark stressed the need for a fresh
look at approaches for CCD implementation and need for
developing a common vision by taking advantage of the
report.
Above photo: Josceline Wheatley (UK)
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Argentina
on behalf of GRULAC suggested establishing a contact group on
using the report's recommendations.
Above photo: Octavio Pèrez Pardo (Argentina)
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COMMITTEE
ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
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On
early warning systems, the EU suggested adding a language
requesting the Group of Experts to report on progress made on
the subject to the CST at its eight session.
Above photo L-R: Anna Ballance (UK), Alfredo Guillet
and Andreas Brink (EC)
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Above photo
L-R: Members of the
Group of Experts (GoE) with
chair David
Mouat, H.P.
Singh, and Ismail El Bagouri |
On
land degradation assessment in drylands (LADA), NORWAY
proposed several amendments. Above photo L-R: Gunn Paulsen
and Frank Eklo (Norway)
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This
service was prepared in cooperation with the UNCCD Secretariat
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