United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

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Annex III. Regional Implementation Annex for Latin America and the Carribean

Article 1. Purpose

Article 2. Particular conditions of the Latin American and Caribbean region

Article 3. Action programmes

Article 4. Content of national action programmes

Article 5. Technical, scientific and technological cooperation

Article 6. Financial resources and mechanisms

Article 7. Institutional framework

Article 1. Purpose                                                                                   [ Up ]

The purpose of this Annex is to provide general guidelines for the implementation of the Convention in the Latin American and Caribbean region, in light of its particular conditions.

Article 2. Particular conditions of the Latin American and Caribbean region                                                                                                                  [ Up ]

The Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, take into consideration the following particular conditions of the region:

(a) the existence of broad expanses which are vulnerable and have been severely affected by desertification and/or drought and in which diverse characteristics may be observed, depending on the area in which they occur; this cumulative and intensifying process has negative social, cultural, economic and environmental effects which are all the more serious in that the region contains one of the largest resources of biological diversity in the world;

(b) the frequent use of unsustainable development practices in affected areas as a result of complex interactions among physical, biological, political, social, cultural and economic factors, including international economic factors such as external indebtedness, deteriorating terms of trade and trade practices which affect markets for agricultural, fishery and forestry products; and

(c) a sharp drop in the productivity of ecosystems being the main consequence of desertification and drought, taking the form of a decline in agricultural, livestock and forestry yields and a loss of biological diversity; from the social point of view, the results are impoverishment, migration, internal population movements, and the deterioration of the quality of life; the region will therefore have to adopt an integrated approach to problems of desertification and drought by promoting sustainable development models that are in keeping with the environmental, economic and social situation in each country.

Article 3. Action programmes                                                              [ Up ]

1. In conformity with the Convention, in particular its articles 9 to 11, and in accordance with their national development policies, affected country Parties of the region shall, as appropriate, prepare and implement national action programmes to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought as an integral part of their national policies for sustainable development. Subregional and regional programmes may be prepared and implemented in accordance with the requirements of the region.

2. In the preparation of their national action programmes, affected country Parties of the region shall pay particular attention to article 10, paragraph 2 (f) of the Convention.

Article 4. Content of national action programmes                               [ Up ]

In the light of their respective situations, the affected country Parties of the region may take account, inter alia, of the following thematic issues in developing their national strategies for action to combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought, pursuant to article 5 of the Convention:

(a) increasing capacities, education and public awareness, technical, scientific and technological cooperation and financial resources and mechanisms;

(b) eradicating poverty and improving the quality of human life;

(c) achieving food security and sustainable development and management of agricultural, livestock-rearing, forestry and multipurpose activities;

(d) sustainable management of natural resources, especially the rational management of drainage basins;

(e) sustainable management of natural resources in high-altitude areas;

(f) rational management and conservation of soil resources and exploitation and efficient use of water resources;

(g) formulation and application of emergency plans to mitigate the effects of drought;

(h) strengthening and/or establishing information, evaluation and follow-up and early warning systems in areas prone to desertification and drought, taking account of climatological, meteorological, hydrological, biological, soil, economic and social factors;

(i) developing, managing and efficiently using diverse sources of energy, including the promotion of alternative sources;

(j) conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity;

(k) consideration of demographic aspects related to desertification and drought; and

(l) establishing or strengthening institutional and legal frameworks permitting application of the Convention and aimed, inter alia, at decentralizing administrative structures and functions relating to desertification and drought, with the participation of affected communities and society in general.

Article 5. Technical, scientific and technological cooperation             [ Up ]

In conformity with the Convention, in particular its articles 16 to 18, and on the basis of the coordinating mechanism provided for in article 7, affected country Parties of the region shall, individually or jointly:

(a) promote the strengthening of technical cooperation networks and national, subregional and regional information systems, as well as their integration, as appropriate, in worldwide sources of information;

(b) prepare an inventory of available technologies and know-how and promote their dissemination and use;

(c) promote the use of traditional technology, knowledge, know-how and practices pursuant to article 18, paragraph 2 (b), of the Convention;

(d) identify transfer of technology requirements; and

(e) promote the development, adaptation, adoption and transfer of relevant existing and new environmentally sound technologies.

Article 6. Financial resources and mechanisms                                    [ Up ]

In conformity with the Convention, in particular its articles 20 and 21, on the basis of the coordinating mechanism provided for in article 7 and in accordance with their national development policies, affected country Parties of the region shall, individually or jointly:

(a) adopt measures to rationalize and strengthen mechanisms to supply funds through public and private investment with a view to achieving specific results in action to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought;

(b) identify international cooperation requirements in support of national efforts; and

(c) promote the participation of bilateral and/or multilateral financial cooperation institutions with a view to ensuring implementation of the Convention.

Article 7. Institutional framework                                                        [ Up ]

1. In order to give effect to this Annex, affected country Parties of the region shall:

(a) establish and/or strengthen national focal points to coordinate action to combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought; and

(b) set up a mechanism to coordinate the national focal points for the following purposes:

(i) exchanges of information and experience;

(ii) coordination of activities at the subregional and regional levels;

(iii) promotion of technical, scientific, technological and financial cooperation;

(iv) identification of external cooperation requirements; and

(v) follow-up and evaluation of the implementation of action programmes.

2. Affected country Parties of the region shall hold periodic coordination meetings and the Permanent Secretariat may, at their request, pursuant to article 23 of the Convention, facilitate the convocation of such coordination meetings, by:

(a) providing advice on the organization of effective coordination arrangements, drawing on experience from other such arrangements;

(b) providing information to relevant bilateral and multilateral agencies concerning coordination meetings, and encouraging their active involvement; and

(c) providing other information that may be relevant in establishing or improving coordination processes.

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