Background

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) was adopted in June 1994. During the time it was open for signature, from October 1994 to October 1995, it received 115 signatures. Signatory states need to ratify the Convention to bring it into force for them. Non-signatory States have the option of acceding to the Convention at any time, and a number of countries have already done so.

The CCD entered into force on 26 December, 1996, three months after the fiftieth instrument of ratification or accession was deposited. As of 14 June 2000, 166 countries and 1 Regional economic integration organisation have ratified or acceded to the Convention.

Obligations under the Convention

There are four principal categories of obligation under the terms of the CCD and its regional implementation annexes:

- The common obligation of all Parties, including those unaffected by desertification, are spelled out mainly in articles 3, 4, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20. They relate principally to international cooperation in implementing the CCD at all levels, particularly in the areas of the collection, analysis and exchange of information, research, technology transfer, capacity building and awareness building, the promotion of an integrated approach in developing national strategies to combat desertification, and assistance in ensuring that adequate financial resources are available for programmes to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.

- Country Parties affected by desertification in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Northern Mediterranean undertake to prepare national action programmes and to cooperate at the regional and subregional levels.

- Other affected country Parties have the option of preparing action programmes following Convention guidelines, or more generally of establishing strategies and priorities for combatting desertification.

- Developed country Parties have, under article 6, article 20 and other articles, specific obligations to support affected countries (particularly but not exclusively affected developing countries) by providing financial resources and by facilitating access to appropriate technology, knowledge and know-how.

- Parties are obligated (article 26) to report on measures they have taken to implement the Convention. Parties which have prepared National Action Programmes are obliged under article 10 to provide regular progress reports on their implementation.

Options for Cooperation

The regional implementation annexes provide frameworks for cooperation among Parties in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Northern Mediterranean regions. More generally, however, under the terms of article 4, all Parties can implement their obligations "jointly, either through existing or prospective bilateral and multilateral arrangements." Any group of affected country Parties may make joint communications on measures taken at the subregional and/or regional levels in the framework of action programmes (article 26).

Advantages of accession

By acceding to the CCD, a State would become a Party to the main international instrument dealing with the urgent global problem of land degradation. As a Party, that country would have full powers, including voting, at sessions of the Conference of the Parties. The first session of the COP will take significant decisions on subjects such as the establishment of the Global Mechanism for the mobilization of financial resources, the financial rules and rules of procedures of the COP, the location and administrative arrangements for the Permanent Secretariat, the terms of reference and work programme of the COP's Committee on Science and Technology, and the Convention budget and the scale of contributions to it.

In substantive terms, status as a Party would also allow a State to:

- show solidarity with affected countries in facing an urgent and growing issue of global dimensions;

- benefit from cooperation with other affected countries, and with developed countries, in designing and implementing its own programmes to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought;

- improve access to relevant technologies and data;

- benefit by participation as a Party in the work of the Committee on Science and Technology;

- take part in the network to support the implementation of the Convention mandated by article 25; and

- nominate scientists for inclusion on the roster of experts from which ad hoc panels will be established to deal with specific scientific and technical issues.

Parties are entitled to participate in the networking of relevant institutions, agencies and bodies. These networks may be expanded to include the various aspects of land degradation of concern to States ratifying or acceding.