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REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION ANNEXES

The Convention contains regional implementation annexes for Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Northern Mediterranean. The idea of regional annexes emerged during the first meeting of the INCD in Nairobi, where options were still being explored on how to express the particularity for Africa stipulated in resolution 47/188. This was interpreted by developing countries in other regions as a blatant attempt to provide an option for the developed countries to provide financial assistance in favor of Africa through an annex or instrument. Consequently, the Latin American and Caribbean Group and the Asian Group emphasized that they also wanted their own annexes, a demand that was reluctantly approved, with a decision taken that any region could have an annex and the priority for Africa would be demonstrated through the urgent action to be undertaken before the entry into force of the Convention.

Initially, it was not clear how multiple annexes could be finalized simultaneously by 17 June 1994. However, due to regional-level initiatives taken by the Asians, Latin Americans and the southern Europeans, draft annexes were tabled at INCD-4 and negotiated in Paris. The four annexes differ quite substantially in their content in order to reflect the different regional realities. Despite the fact that all the annexes cover the same range of issues, it is the African Annex that is the most elaborate in form and content.