The issue of desertification became particularly acute due to the severe drought conditions in the Sudano-Sahelian regions which had reached catastrophic proportions in 1973. At its twentyeighth session, in 1973, the General Assembly, by resolution 3054(XXVIII) of 17 October and resolution 3153 (XXVIII) of 28 November, noted with concern the great and disquieting magnitude of the effects of the drought and called upon assistance from the international community. In March 1974, at its second session, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) accorded priority to the establishment of integrated research programmes on arid and semi-arid lands, with particular attention to the Sudano-Sahelian region (decision 8 (II)).

At its twenty-ninth session, in 1974, the General Assembly adopted resolution 3337 (XXIX) of 17 December, by which the Assembly recalled, inter alia, its resolution 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974 and noted Economic and Social Council resolutions on the issue of desertification (resolution 1878 (LVII) and resolution 1898 (LVII)), decided as a matter of priority to initiate concerted international action to combat desertification, and to convene in 1977 a United Nations Conference on Desertification to give impetus to the international action to combat desertification.

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