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REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION ANNEX FOR AFRICA

Working Group II began its first formal consideration of the Regional Implementation Annex for Africa (A/AC.241/19) on Thursday, 24 March 1994. Delegates provided general comments and then proceeded to inundate the Chair with specific proposals and amendments. For the most part, developed countries thought that the annex was too long and contained a number of articles that were better suited to or already contained in the main Convention. The Africans felt that the level of detail was absolutely essential, otherwise the instrument would not achieve anything. Some delegates expressed frustration with the method of work, noting the difficulties in following the enormous number of amendments that were being tabled. On Friday, discussion continued but it was clear that a new work method was required. As a result, the Group established a contact group, under the chairmanship of Amb. Ren‚ Val‚ry Mongbe (Benin), which would produce new text over the weekend.

On Monday morning the contact group tabled a revised text for the African annex. During the week, negotiations took place primarily during informal sessions chaired by Frederick G. Mallya (Tanzania), the Vice-Chair/Rapporteur of Working Group II. By the conclusion of the session, delegates had produced a new text for the annex, although most of it was in brackets. Some of the unresolved issues include: the mandatory nature of the commitments to be taken by Parties (Articles 1 and 2); timetable for preparing action programmes (Article 4); the necessity of regional action programmes (Articles 10 and 11); the role of the UN and other international institutions (Article 12); financial arrangements (Article 13); and follow-up and coordination (Articles 14 and 14a).

The current outline of the articles in the Regional Implementation Annex for Africa is as follows:

@INDENT = 1 -- Scope

@INDENT = 1a -- Purpose

@INDENT = 2 -- Particular conditions of the African region

@INDENT = 2a -- Commitments and obligations of African country Parties

@INDENT = 2b -- Commitments and obligations of developed country Parties

@INDENT = 3 -- Strategic planning framework for sustainable development

@INDENT = 4 -- Timetable for preparation of action programmes

@INDENT = 4a -- Implementation and Evaluation Indicators

@INDENT = 5 -- Content of national action programmes

@INDENT = 6 -- Preparation of national action programmes

@INDENT = 7 -- Organizational framework of sub-regional action programmes

@INDENT = 8 -- Content of sub-regional action programmes

@INDENT = 9 -- Preparation of sub-regional action programmes

@INDENT = 10 -- Organizational framework for regional action programmes

@INDENT = 11 -- Content of the regional action programme (There are also two alternatives to Articles 10 and 11.)

@INDENT = 12 -- Strengthening the United Nations and other institutions (There are two versions of this article.)

@INDENT = 13 -- Financial arrangements

@INDENT = 14 -- Coordination and partnership agreements

@INDENT = 14a-- Follow-up arrangements

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