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7th Session of the Conference of the Parties 
to the United Nations Convention 
to Combat Desertification 

 



     

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Highlights for Tuesday, 25 October 2005


Participants to COP-7 met in the special segment in the morning and afternoon to conduct an interactive dialogue and to hear statements from parties. Contact groups continued their discussions on: the programme and budget; the draft decisions of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC); regional coordination units (RCUs); and report of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU).

Above photo L-R: The afternoon panel of the Special Segment was presided by Vice-President Erwin Ortiz (Bolivia) (center) and assisted by Gerardo Gúnera-Lazzaroni and Rhadika Padayachi of the UNCCD



SPECIAL SEGMENT:

GLOBAL INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE:


Above photos: COP-7 President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka (left) opened the dialogue. Uriel Safriel, (right) Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel,  introduced the theme of the dialogue “Economic Opportunities in the Drylands under the UNCCD.



The CZECH REPUBLIC outlined its official development assistance to affected countries for promoting research on land degradation issues. 

Above photo: Tomás Novotńy, Deputy Minister of Environment (Czech Republic)

CHINA called for financial and technological support to developing countries. 



Above photo: Li Yucai, Vice Minister of the State Forestry Administration (China)

INDIA said that it has adopted policies that complement the UNCCD objectives. 



Above photo: Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment and Forests (India)


STATEMENTS BY PARTIES:


Mtiti Fakudze, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, SWAZILAND, focused on the need to review CCD achievements in the last ten years, and urged implementation of the JIU’s recommendations.

Bountiem Phissamay, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, described his country’s development goals, actions for eradication of poverty, and NAP implementation.   

Abdymalik Anarbaev, Acting Minister of Agriculture, Water Economy and Processing Industry, KYRGYZSTAN, reported on national activities and projects to combat desertification, including with CCD and GM support.



Davlastsho K.Gulmahmadov, Minister, State Committee for Land Management, TAJIKISTAN, expressed hope that the CCD will have an effective financial mechanism, and suggested focus on training.

Henri Djombo, Minister of Forestry and the Environment, CONGO, expressed concern with deforestation in the region, called for promoting the effectiveness of the CCD Secretariat, and supported the JIU report. 

Abobakar El Mansori, Minister of Agriculture of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, called upon all parties to promote coordination in implementation of regional and subregional efforts and to encourage information and data transfer. 



Martin Puta Tofinga, Minister for Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development of
Kiribati, spoke on behalf of Pacific island parties. Emphasizing the vulnerability of SIDS to climate change and land degradation, he called for financial and technical support.

Bill Vakaafi Motufoou, Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Niue, noted the acknowledgement of vulnerability of SIDS in the Mauritius Declaration, and called for greater flexibility under the UNDP/GEF portfolio project for LDCs and SIDS.

Max Puig Miller, Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, referred to refugees from desertification, and described efforts to combat desertification in fragile ecosystems.



Lebohang Nts’inyi, Minister for Tourism, Environment and Culture of Lesotho, urged GEF to increase resource allocation to OP 15, and called for technical and financial support by development partners and renewed commitment to the CCD by all parties.

Odette Kayitesi, Minister of Regional Planning, Environment and Tourism of Burundi, supported the permanent institutionalization of CRIC and adequate funding for its functions, and called for adequate resources to the CCD Secretariat.

Tereza Seresio Ero, Minister of State for Environment, SUDAN, dwelt on economic opportunities in the drylands, and eco-social activities.

 

CONTACT GROUP:


REPORT OF THE JOINT INSPECTION UNIT: Participants to the contact group met in the morning to make general statements on the report of the JIU, with many expressing satisfaction with the report and their willingness to submit a draft decision for adoption by COP-7. In the afternoon and evening sessions, discussions focused on a draft decision prepared by Chair Sem T. Shikongo (Namibia), which contains two major paragraphs, with one suggesting development of a strategic target to enable parties to reach a common view and understanding of the future of the implementation of the UNCCD, and another suggesting the establishment of an intersessional working group to address the recommendations in the JIU report. Participants were divided on these two paragraphs. Above photos L-R: View of the contact group session on the JIU; Chair Shikongo (Namibia) and with Rajeb Boulharouf, UNCCD


ENB SNAPSHOTS: 
Reception Hosted by Hama Arba Diallo, Executive Secretary, UNCCD and Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director, UNEP



 

SIDE EVENT: GLOBAL MECHANISM


Christian Mersmann,  (above) Managing Director, GM, presented the report on activities of the GM in two side events "GM in Action: The Way Ahead - An Interactive Dialogue" and "Mainstreaming for Resource Mobilization". He stressed the need to work within the evolving international framework to mobilize financing, and to recognize that the UNCCD is in competition for limited resources and must convey its importance. Mersmann called on international financing institutions to mainstream funding for UNCCD-related activities. He also highlighted GM experiences, lessons learned, capacity building and cooperation with NGOs and private sectors. For further information regarding GM please visit http://www.gm-unccd.org  and http://field.gm-unccd.org.



 


This service was prepared in cooperation with the UNCCD Secretariat



Links

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FAO
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ENB coverage of COP-6
ENB coverage of CRIC-3
Review of the First 10 years of the Convention

ENB archives of desertification meetings

 
 

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