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Highlights from Thursday, 14 December
 The
Committee on Science and Technology (CST) met throughout the day to
hear reports from the groups working on scientific and technical
information and consider priority issues for CST-5. The Plenary
scheduled for the morning to consider the work programme of the ad
hoc working group (AHWG) to review CCD implementation was
cancelled because informal negotiations on issues relating to the
AHWG were not completed. It convened briefly in the afternoon to
adopt a draft decision on procedures to review CCD implementation.
The Committee of the Whole (COW) met briefly in the morning and in
the afternoon to consider: the draft declaration to enhance
implementation of the Convention; procedures to review reports on
CCD implementation; progress reports from regions other than Africa;
an additional implementation annex to the Convention; and
relationships with other relevant conventions and international
organizations, institutions and agencies.
Above photo(L-R): CST Chair Olarewanju
Smith (Canada) with Ndegwa Ndiang'ui of the Secretariat
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Plenary:
 COP
convened briefly in the afternoon and adopted a draft COW decision
on the AHWG's procedure to review CCD implementation. The COP also
elected Mohammed Mahmoud El Ghaouth (Mauritania) and Willem van
Cotthem (Belgium), nominated by the COW, to co-chair the AHWG.
Left photo: The dias during a brief
afternoon plenary
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Committee
of Science and Technology:
Antoine Cornet (FRANCE), speaking
for the working group on this issue, emphasized indicators and the
role of technical information in Party reporting. He stressed
indicators as tools for follow-up and evaluation in accordance with
national strategies and distinguished between status and impact
indicators. He recommended keeping indicators a CST priority and
highlighted the need for harmony with other processes.
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Ben Souda (Morocco), stressed Convention commitments
related to indicators and building on existing initiatives, and with
MALAWI, called for capacity building.
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 Gunn
Paulsen (Norway), proposed that the
Secretariat compose a report on best practices, drawing
expertise from the roster of experts, the database on
traditional knowledge, and NGOs.
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Committee
of the Whole: COW
BENIN
presented a draft decision prepared by a contact group to
resolve the issues relating to the work of the AHWG to review
CCD implementation.
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The
G-77/CHINA suggested that the COP provide input into the
Rio+10 process and should therefore consider what reports to submit.
Noting the decreasing presence of developing country delegations in
Bonn due to relocation to Berlin, he proposed a modestly resourced
CCD liaison branch should be linked to UN Headquarters to benefit
from the UN services.
