ENB @ CCD COP-5

The fifth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) for the Convention to Combat Desertification

Geneva, Switzerland, 1-12 October 2001

Version française: BNT

Tuesday, 2 October 2001
On their second day of work, delegates met in a morning Plenary and considered outstanding organizational issues and adjourned for the day, paving way for a brief morning and afternoon COW sessions that considered programme and budget issues and subsequently set up three contact groups to consider further programme and budget, legal and CCD implementation aspects. The CST met in morning and afternoon sessions and considered organizational matters, the report of the CST Bureau, the survey and evaluation of networks, the establishment of the Roster of Experts and improving CST efficiency and effectiveness

Jozef Buys, Belgium, of behalf of EU stated the need to mainstream NAPs into national strategies for sustainable development, stressed the need to promote synergies between multilateral environment agreements (MEAs) and supported GEF efforts to increase support for dryland management

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CCD Executive Secretary Hama Arba Diallo elaborated on the Secretariat's interventions since COP-4 at national, subregional and regional levels in all regions of the world, and its work with NGOs

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Chair Mohammed Jabbari, Iran, opened the first session of the Committee of the Whole (COW)

Ali Mojtahed Shabestari on behalf of the G-77/CHINA noted, inter alia the importance of the 2002-3 budget, the need for the Secretariat to strengthen the Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG) on national reports and to adopt strategic decisions for the WSSD. They also supported the possibility of a GEF designating a focal area for land degradation and the creation of a standing organ as a subsidiary body of the COP to monitor CCD implementation

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Ahmed Cissoko

Left to right: Ahmed Cissoko, Philbert Brown, Ndegwa Ndiang'ui

Philbert Brown called the first session of the CST to order. Delegates elected four CST Vice Chairs: Moussa Hassane, Niger, for the Africa Group; Abdel-Majid Khabour, Jordan, for the Asia Group; Marija Vihovanec, Croatia, for the Eastern European Group; and Helmut Woehl, Germany, for the Western European and Others Group. Helmut Woehl will also function as Rapporteur. Delegates then adopted the agenda and organization of work, following minor scheduling changes

Willem van Cotthem, Belgium on behalf of the EU suggested the formation of a task force composed of a group of ad hoc panels, organizing the program of work around knowledge, impact, mitigation and results

Gaoussou Traoré, CILSS, suggested that NGOs accredited with the CCD could appoint experts to diversify the roster

Pape Mawade Wade, Senegal, underscored the responsibility of countries to involve and put forward NGO experts

Timo Maukonen, UNEP, called for stronger global environment governance with links to poverty alleviation, and stressed the linkages between trade, land degradation and development among stakeholders, as well as the need to support local community participation

Patrick Szell, UK, was nominated as chair of the contact group on legal matters

	ENB Coverage of previous CCD meetings Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification Fifth Session of the COP website Provisional Agenda Provisional list of Official Documents Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group to COP5 Official Documents of COP4
© 2001, Earth Negotiations Bulletin. All rights reserved.