Armenia
on behalf of Central and Eastern European countries
Swaziland
on behalf of the African Group
Chile
on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group
Ositadinma
Anaedu, Chair of the Committee of the Whole (COW)
An
ENB writer covers the opening of the Committee on Science and
Technology (CST)
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CCD
COP-6 HIGHLIGHTS: TUESDAY 26 AUGUST, 2003
Delegates
to COP-6 met in morning and afternoon sessions and began their
deliberations in the Committee of the Whole (COW), the Committee
for Science and Technology (CST), and the Committee for the
Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC). The morning
Plenary heard statements from Parties, UN agencies and observer
organizations, and was followed by the opening of the COW, in
which the programme budget was discussed. The CST met in morning
and afternoon sessions to address the roster of experts, the
survey and evaluation of existing networks, and improving the
efficiency and effectiveness of the CST. The CRIC met in an
afternoon session to adopt the organization of work, consider
the CRIC-1 report, and begin a first reading of draft decisions.
COP
PLENARY
MOROCCO, for G-77/CHINA, underscored the importance of regional
coordination units (RCUs) to assist in implementing the CCD
and the GEF’s offer to become one of the CCD’s financial
mechanisms, and urged renewed support from GM partners. ITALY,
for the EU, noted that the CCD is an important tool to assist
in achieving the Millennium Declaration goals.
ARMENIA,
for the Central and Eastern European Group, highlighted the
importance of implementing the CCD through regional and subregional
cooperation. SYRIA, for the Asian Group, stressed the designation
of the GEF as a financial mechanism of the CCD as a turning
point in the implementation of the CCD.
SWAZILAND,
for the African Group, said that the review of the policies
and activities of the GM should result in a renewed and delivery-oriented
institution. CHILE, for the Latin American and Caribbean Group,
highlighted the importance of addressing land degradation in
small island developing States and expressed hope that the GEF
will become an effective mechanism to support the CCD’s
implementation.
The WORLD
FOOD PROGRAMME highlighted the importance of improving food
security and livelihoods of people living in degraded areas.
A representative of the NGO community suggested that Parties’
expenditures on military defense be channeled to a UN fund,
and a tax on international financial transactions be established.
COW
Chair Ositadinma Aneadu (Nigeria) opened the first
meeting of the COW. Deputy Executive Secretary Grégoire
de Kalbermatten introduced the relevant documents, including:
programme and budget for the biennium 2004-5; performance of
the CCD’s trust funds; performance of the trust fund for
supplementary activities; audited financial statements for the
CCD’s trust funds and the report of the UN Board of Auditors;
need for, modalities for, costs involved in and feasibility
and possible terms of reference of the regional coordination
units; and the status of contributions of the CCD’s trust
funds for the biennium 2002-3.
CST
Chair Riccardo Valentini (Italy) opened the first session of
the CST. He emphasized that the CST must produce policy-relevant
advice and contribute to the CCD’s implementation. Stressing
that the CST has an important role to play in increasing synergies
between the CCD, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the Convention on Biological Diversity, he suggested that
the CST draw on relevant aspects of other conventions to improve
its agenda.
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Mohammed
Arrouchi (Morocco) on behalf of the G77/China
Italy
on behalf of the EU
Representative
of the World Food Programme
Amat
Forés, representative of the NGOs
A Secretariat member presents reports on the implementation
of the Convention and its institutional arrangement
CST
Chair Riccardo Valentini (Italy)
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