Bonn, 6 April 2001 - "Nearly seven years after the adoption of the Convention I believe that the UNCCD has reached maturity as several countries get down to the operational phase of their Action Programmes." - said Mr. Hama Arba Diallo, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), during the meeting that for the period of three weeks reviewed the reports presented by the country Parties - "It is therefore essential for the Conference of the Parties to start considering thoroughly the achievement of the affected country Parties. Seven years, I may say, is not a long period of time compared to the complexity of the UNCCD process and the magnitude of the tasks".

From 19 March to 6 April, 2001, around 250 representatives of countries, UN agencies, and international and non-governmental organisations met in Bonn, Germany, in the Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG) for the revision of 114 national and sub-regional reports elaborated by governments, sub-regional and regional organisations since 1999.

The delegates discussed among others the following subjects: the new strategies and policy frameworks, the implementation review process, the financial mechanism for the Convention, the strengthening of co-operation between regions.

African countries reported positive results in the fields of awareness raising and the participation of civil society. They also noted that mobilisation of resources still remains a core challenge. Likewise, concerns were expressed concerning the lack of transfer of technology. In addition they stressed their disappointment with the response from developed country Parties, particularly the absence of concrete partnership arrangements. African country Parties also called for the strengthening of subregional and regional bodies engaged in the implementation of the convention as well as further empowerment of civil society and capacity building in the training and educational area.

Asia is the continent which includes the greatest land mass of area affected by desertification and where food security concerns are heightened by population growth. The continent is also an area prone to natural disasters. In this regard, Asian Parties recognised the need to tackle macro policy issues to improve the management of natural resources. Asia is also looking for technology transfers and exploring a range of high technology responses for developing drought resistant crops, water management or GIS monitoring systems, but such capacities are unequally distributed.

Latin America and the Caribbean countries expressed their concern for the intensification of land degradation processes and recurring severe droughts. Countries also insisted on the need to achieve synergies between the Rio Conventions by involving the respective National Focal points at the national level.

Due to the lack of financial resources to combat desertification and drought, developing countries expressed the urgent need to open a GEF window for the implementation of the CCD in order to overcome what is perceived as a very serious financial bottleneck in the implementation process of this Convention. They also called for the urgent establishment of a consultative mechanism at country level to conclude partnership arrangements.

Developed country Parties spelled out their efforts in supporting the implementation process and made proposals for further improvement. They presented their policy objectives for development co-operation, the thematic areas of support, the geographical coverage of their intervention, and detailed some of their ongoing activities. Some donors made reference to the availability of financial resources. One donor indicated that it would consider proactively supporting an increase of financial resources to combat desertification at the forthcoming replenishment of the GEF. Developed countries affected by desertification expressed a greater readiness to share experience with affected developing countries.

Drought and desertification is aggravated by climate change. It seriously threaten the livelihoods of over 1.2 billion people world-wide who depend on the land for most of their needs. They undermine the land productivity, and the populations' wealth and health in over 110 countries. The downstream consequences are severe: forced migration, over crowded cities, tensions and conflicts.

It is a legally binding instrument resulting from the Rio Conference on Environment and Development (1992).

Note to journalists: For more information, please contact Rajeb Boulharouf at fax (49-228) 8152899, email rboulharouf@unccd.int, or Marcos Montoiro at (+49-228) 8152806, email mmontoiro@unccd.int. National Reports and information on the Convention to Combat Desertification are available also via the Internet at http://www.unccd.int.