You are viewing our old site. See the new one here

ENB:04:55 [Next] . [Previous] . [Contents]

DISSATISFACTION WITH THE GLOBAL MECHANISM:

There is also concern about the Global Mechanism itself. OECD countries did not support the G-77's call for a desertification fund, citing the failure of the fund to implement the 1977 Plan of Action, and commenting that the overhead and administrative costs associated with such a fund would markedly reduce the amount of funds available in the field. The compromise -- the establishment of a Global Mechanism -- met the concerns of the donors, however, many Africans were dissatisfied, arguing that such a mechanism would not catalyze new and additional resource and would divert limited resources to other regions. This led some to remark that "the thieves had got the banquet." Furthermore, the current language also provides a hazy picture of the functions of the Global Mechanism, with no indication as to how it will be set up, administered, or implemented.