Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 89 (d)
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 44/172 of 19 December 1989, 44/228
of 22 December 1989 and its other relevant resolutions and decisions,
and the recommendations made in Agenda 21, 1/ adopted by the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
Recalling also its resolution 47/188 of 22 December 1992,
by which it established 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, with a view to finalizing such a convention
by June 1994,
Recalling further its resolution 48/191 of 21 December
1993, by which it urged the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee
to complete its negotiations by June 1994,
Noting that article 35 of the United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious
Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, 2/ adopted
in Paris on 17 June 1994, provides that secretariat functions
will be carried out on an interim basis by the secretariat established
by the General Assembly in its resolution 47/188 until the completion
of the first session of the Conference of the Parties; and also
noting that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, in paragraph
5 of its resolution 5/2, requested the Secretary-General to make
proposals enabling the secretariat established pursuant to resolution
47/188 to continue its activities on an interim basis, until the
permanent secretariat of the Convention is designated by the Conference
of the Parties, 3/
Acknowledging with appreciation the support provided for
the operation of the secretariat during 1994 by the United Nations
Development Programme, including the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian
Office, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations
Capital Development Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural
Development, the World Meteorological Organization, the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the regional commissions
and bilateral contributors,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General concerning
the implementation of resolution 48/191 and possible requirements
for intergovernmental and secretariat work on the implementation
of the Convention and its regional annexes, 4/ and having also
considered Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee resolution
5/1 concerning urgent action for Africa, in the period up to and
including the first session of the Conference of the Parties to
the Convention, 3/
Considering the Convention one of the main steps in the
follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development,
1. Welcomes the adoption, on 17 June 1994, of the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly
in Africa, by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, and
welcomes also the signing of the Convention in Paris on 14 and
15 October 1994 by a large number of States and one regional economic
integration organization;
2. Urges States that have not yet signed the Convention
to do so during the present session of the General Assembly and
no later than 13 October 1995, in conformity with article 33 of
the Convention, and urges States and organizations that have signed
the Convention to proceed to its ratification so that it may enter
into force as soon as possible;
3. Invites signatories of the Convention, in addition to
the information provided at the time of signature, to continue
to communicate to the interim secretariat of the Convention information
on actions taken or envisaged for the implementation of the provisions
of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee resolution 5/1 on urgent
action for Africa; 3/
4. Decides that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee
shall continue to function in order:
(a) To prepare for the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, as specified in the Convention;
(b) To facilitate the implementation of the provisions of Committee resolution 5/1 on urgent action for Africa, through the exchange of information and the review of progress made thereon;
(c) To initiate measures relating to the identification of an organization to house the global mechanism to promote actions leading to the mobilization and channelling of substantial financial resources, including its operational modalities;
(d) To elaborate the rules of procedure of the Conference of the Parties;
(e) To consider other relevant issues, including measures to ensure the implementation of the Convention and its regional annexes;
5. Decides also, for this purpose, to convene, in addition
to the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee,
which is to be held in New York for up to two weeks from 9 January
1995, a two-week session of the Committee at Nairobi, from 7 to
18 August 1995, and, pending the entry into force of the Convention,
to convene further necessary sessions in 1996 and 1997, the venue
and timing of which shall be recommended by the Committee;
6. Invites the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee,
in this regard, to adopt and implement expeditiously a plan of
work for the period leading to the first session of the Conference
of the Parties, and requests the Secretary-General to make arrangements
within the overall calendar of conferences for the Committee to
hold its forthcoming sessions;
7. Requests all States, the United Nations system, including
the regional commissions, relevant subregional and regional organizations
and appropriate scientific and business communities, trade unions,
relevant non-governmental organizations and other interested groups
to take action for the prompt implementation of the Convention
and its relevant regional annexes upon its entry into force and
in this regard to respond effectively to the needs in the African,
Asian and Latin American and Caribbean regions;
8. Urges all States, the United Nations system, including
the regional commissions, relevant subregional and regional organizations
and all other relevant actors to take actions and measures for
the full and effective implementation of the provisions of Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee resolution 5/1 on urgent action for Africa;
3/
9. Decides that the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee and the interim secretariat shall continue to be funded
through existing United Nations budgetary resources, without negatively
affecting its programmed activities, and through voluntary contributions
to the trust fund established, pursuant to resolution 47/188,
specifically for that purpose and administered by the head of
the interim secretariat under the authority of the Secretary-General,
with the possibility of using the fund, as appropriate, to support
the participation of representatives of non-governmental organizations
in the work of the Committee and of carrying over resources contributed
from one fiscal year to the other;
10. Notes the arrangements made by the Secretary-General
and the contributions of the United Nations Development Programme,
including the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office, the United
Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural
Development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
the World Meteorological Organization, the World Bank and other
relevant international organizations active in the fields of desertification,
drought and development to the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee in pursuance of its mandate, and invites them to intensify
and expand such support in the future;
11. Welcomes the proposal of the Administrator of the United
Nations Development Programme, following the adoption of the Convention,
and in conformity with the provisions of paragraph 38.27 of Agenda
21, 1/ that the Programme support the implementation of the Convention
world wide, with particular attention to Africa, and invites the
Programme and the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office to seek
the necessary financial resources and other forms of support to
be able to play that role more effectively;
12. Notes with appreciation the contributions made thus
far to the trust fund, and invites Governments, regional economic
integration organizations and other interested organizations to
continue to make voluntary contributions to the fund to support
the interim secretariat of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee
and the work of the Committee;
13. Also notes with appreciation the contributions made
to the special voluntary fund established pursuant to resolution
47/188 to assist developing countries affected by desertification
and drought, in particular the least developed countries, to participate
fully and effectively in the negotiating process, and invites
Governments, regional economic integration organizations and other
interested organizations to continue to contribute generously
to the fund so as to allow those countries to participate fully
and effectively in the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee;
14. Requests the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee to submit progress reports on the Committee's work to
the General Assembly, the Commission on Sustainable Development
and other appropriate bodies of the United Nations;
15. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present
resolution to the attention of all Governments, relevant specialized
agencies and programmes of the United Nations, international financial
institutions, other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
and other relevant institutions;
16. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the
General Assembly at its fiftieth session a report on the implementation
of the present resolution relative to the United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious
Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, under
the agenda item entitled "Implementation of decisions and
recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development".
95th plenary meeting
23 December 1994
1/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1
(Vol. I and Vol. I/Corr.1, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. III/Corr.1))
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda),
vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex
II.
2/ See A/49/84/Add.2, annex, appendix II.
3/ Ibid., appendix III.
4/ A/49/477.