General Assembly Session 49 meeting 42

The President

Members will recall that at its 30th plenary meeting, held on 13 October 1994, the Assembly decided to hold the debate on this sub-item of agenda item 89 directly in plenary meeting, on the understanding that action on the sub-item would be taken in the Second Committee.

In connection with this sub-item, the Assembly has before it the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa: implementation of resolution 48/191 and possible requirements for future work (A/49/477), and a series of notes by the Secretary-General transmitting the reports of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the Elaboration of an International Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, on its third, fourth and fifth sessions (A/49/84 and Add.1 and 2).

The prosperity of future generations in a world where ecological balances will finally be protected was a central concern at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. Among the conclusions drawn and recommendations made in Rio, one in particular has riveted the attention of the international community: the recommendation in chapter 12 of Agenda 21 on the elaboration of an international convention to combat desertification. The importance and the uniqueness of that recommendation lie in the nature of the instrument envisaged for its implementation.

In fact, the preparatory process for the Rio Summit was enriched by the concomitant negotiation of two extremely important Conventions: the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Those two Conventions now constitute the international standard for what has come to be known as the new generation of environmental conventions.

The United Nations Convention to combat desertification falls within the framework of the follow-up to and implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and is strengthened by the principle of sustainable development. This instrument is a commitment in the form of a conventional commitment agreed on by the international community with the aim of creating an appropriate legal framework to promote and implement the principle of sustainable development in fragile ecosystems. Of course, the question of desertification and its negative effects on the development efforts of countries that are seriously affected by it is not a subject new to the United Nations system. However, so far the approach, the operational framework and the institutional mechanisms used have not yielded results commensurate with the scourge. Hence, we all hope that this innovative approach inspired by the Rio consensus will live up to the hopes placed in it by the deprived populations of arid areas.

It is fitting to hail here the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which has successfully discharged the mandate entrusted to it in resolution 47/188 by adopting the Convention within the allotted time. We now need to ensure that all the desired conditions will be established for the effective implementation of this instrument.

We trust that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, within the framework of its interim mandate and in the Conference of the Parties, will set up a financial mechanism and make viable institutional arrangements like those relating to the Conventions on climate change and biodiversity.

However, the importance of this Convention is also reflected in its subject matter and its scope of application and intervention. Almost 900 million individuals are developed and developing. In Africa alone, over the course of barely 50 years areas the size of countries have been affected by desertification. Even today, hundreds of thousand of hectares of fertile land are being inexorably lost because of desertification, which has intensified serious food shortages, encouraged migratory movements and exacerbated political tensions.

These problems, closely linked to the process of desertification, take on an even more tragic dimension in Africa. Indeed, the international community has been aware of this fact, since it has specifically emphasized Africa in the negotiating process. Furthermore, following the adoption of this Convention, the principle of urgent action for Africa was decided on. This urgent action, which highlights the priority given to Africa, must be implemented during the interim period preceding the Convention's entry into force. In this regard, we must welcome the innovative approaches contained in the Convention -- namely, the "bottom-up" approach, in which all those involved in combating desertification are clearly associated with partnership agreements for the implementation of programmes of action at the national, subregional and regional levels.

I am pleased, on behalf of the General Assembly, to thank the French Government for having agreed to organize the official signing ceremony in Paris, where 87 countries signed the Convention. I also solemnly appeal to all the States that were unable to do so in Paris to sign this Convention, so important for Africa and the world, during this session of the General Assembly.

In this connection, I wish to inform the Assembly that the text of the Convention is now in the Treaty Section of the Department of Legal Affairs and that the Convention is open for signature, in accordance with its article 33.

I now call on the Representative of the Secretary-General.

Mr. Kittani (Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on General Assembly Matters)

As the Assembly knows, the Secretary-General left earlier today on a trip abroad. He asked me, first of all, to express his deep regret that he could not be here in person this afternoon to deliver his message and, secondly, to deliver it on his behalf. His statement is as follows:

"During an impressive ministerial-level ceremony in Paris on 14 and 15 October, 87 nations and one regional organization signed the United Nations Convention to combat desertification. The Convention had been adopted in June 1994 after only 13 months of intensive negotiations. This was eloquent testimony to the resolve of the international community to promote sustainable development of the world's drylands in the framework of Agenda 21.

"At the signing ceremony, there were also over 60 statements from Governments and high-level officials of intergovernmental organizations outlining concrete steps to implement the Convention immediately in Africa. This is only proper, since the Convention gives priority to Africa and since the people of that continent, who are among the world's poorest, suffer the most from the effects of dryland degradation and drought.

"In fulfilling commitments made at the June 1992 Earth Summit, the Convention breaks new ground in international law concerning environment and development. It adopts for the first time a truly integrated approach, stressing action at the community level and giving the economic and social dimensions of combating desertification equal weight to its physical and biological aspects. It thus takes its place with the climate change and biodiversity Conventions as a third pillar of the new sustainable-development paradigm."

"Among the innovative features of the Convention is a series of regional implementation annexes which provide guidance for a system of national, subregional and regional action programmes. These programmes will be developed in the framework of partnership agreements with bilateral and multilateral donors as well as with non-governmental organizations. The Conference of the Parties will oversee and review this system.

"The Convention contains all the commitments necessary to succeed in the fight to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. In the end, the key to success will be the will of the affected countries themselves and of the international community to implement the Convention effectively over the long term. Statements at the signing ceremony gave every indication that this will is there: first, affected African countries stressed their primary responsibility to initiate national action programmes, or restructure existing ones. They also exhibited their strong interest in working with neighbouring nations in elaborating subregional action programmes. Many also highlighted specific steps to inform their populations about the significance of the Convention and to set up appropriate procedures and institutions to make action programmes a reality.

"OECD countries on the other hand emphasized the high priority they give to urgent action in Africa and their intention to participate fully in consultative processes leading to partnership agreements. Many also indicated the magnitude of funding available for interim action along with specific programme initiatives. While it is not possible to give a precise figure, it appears that up to $2 billion will be available to support Convention implementation in Africa over the next two to three years.

"Latin American and Asian countries showed genuine enthusiasm for sharing experience and technical expertise with African countries.

"United Nations agencies and other international organizations concerned with combating desertification uniformly pledged to be full partners. They also described concrete programme initiatives they were taking immediately.

"I myself am committed to mobilizing sufficient funds and to ensuring the full involvement of all agencies in the United Nations family.

"We should now do everything possible to build on the momentum which the signing ceremony generated. First and foremost, I urge all countries which have not signed the Convention to do so in New York as soon as possible.

"Secondly, I hope that a strong consensus will emerge in the Second Committee on a resolution which will allow the International Negotiating Committee to continue its work during the period before the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties and which will permit the Interim Secretariat to support the Committee.

"Lastly, we must all work assiduously to promote ratifications of the Convention in order to ensure its early entry into force. This unique legal instrument bears great promise. It is up to all of us, working together, to guarantee that it lives up to the high expectations."

The President

I wish to inform delegations that there are approximately 30 speakers on the list of speakers for this item. I should like to propose, therefore, that the list be now closed. If I hear no objection it will be so decided.

The President

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