For media use only; not an official document
PRESS RELEASE
DESERTIFICATION MEETING CALLS FOR GREATER FUNDING AND POLITICAL
WILL
Geneva, 12 October 2001 – The fifth annual Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD) is closing here today with a clear commitment to accelerating
action against poverty and environmental degradation in the world’s
dryland regions.
The main highlight of the two-week long session was a high-level
session featuring addresses by President Pedro Verona Rodrigues
Pires of Cape Verde, President Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela, Prime
Minister Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi of Mozambique, Prime Minister Hama
Amadou of Niger, and Prime Minister Bruno Amousou of Benin. XX
ministers also spoke.
A message read on behalf of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reinforced
the main themes of the meeting by calling for greater efforts to
combat poverty – the leading cause of desertification –
and for increased, and predictable, funding.
Hama Arba Diallo, UN Assistant-Secretary General and head of the
Convention’s secretariat, further emphasized the need for greater
political will to meet the challenge of desertification. He also
stressed that affected countries should strive to unleash the creative
energies of their citizens by ensuring the full participation of
communities and non-governmental organizations in efforts to combat
desertification.
Other highlights of the conference included a roundtable attended
by XX parliamentarians from around the world and the signing of
a cooperation agreement by the five participating heads of state
or government.
While the next high-level meeting on the Convention will not be
held until 2003, desertification is expected to feature prominently
on the agenda of next September’s World Summit on Sustainable
Development in Johannesburg.
Note to journalists: For more information, please contact
Rajeb Boulharouf at +49-228-815-xxxx or rajeb.boulharouf@unccd.int.
See also www.unccd.int.
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