From Africa Recovery, Vol.12#4 (April 1999), page 6

Africa seeks anti-desertification funds

International conference considers 'Global Mechanism' on funding needs

By John Nyamu

Funding issues dominated the African agenda at the second session of the Conference of Parties (COP-2) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD), which met in Dakar, Senegal, from 30 November to 11 December, 1998. The urgent need for anti-desertification funding was driven by the continent's extreme poverty and relative lack of technical expertise.

Due to desertification, African states spend an estimated $9 bn every year, more than half of all net official development assistance (ODA) to sub-Saharan Africa. This is a significant proportion of the $42 bn estimated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) as the annual income lost worldwide in areas affected by desertification. Also significant are the related economic and social costs suffered by neighbouring areas, including the influx of 'environmental refugees' and losses in national food production.

African delegates were also concerned about funding for national action plans and for a Global Mechanism in tackling desertification. Noting that such a mechanism would have no funds to lend or distribute, the convention's Executive Secretary, Mr. Hama Arba Diallo, said it would operate "rather like a goodwill organization." Its task will consist of "identifying the funding needs of the signatory countries and mobilizing funding possibilities for them from bilateral sources, financial bodies or institutions," he said. That fell well below the expectations of the African group, interested in immediate cash that was readily accessible, with non-discriminatory conditionalities, Mr. Diallo said.

Differences with developed countries

African concerns were partly shaped by pre-existing differences with developed countries on whether the CCD secretariat or the Global Mechanism should have priority in the allocation of funds contributed by new members of the convention. While African delegates favoured the Global Mechanism, developed countries opted for the secretariat. The discord dated back to COP-1, held in Rome in 1997, when the African stand had the support of the Group of 77 and China. Having not been resolved during COP-2, it is likely that the debate will be reopened at the third session (COP-3), to be held in Brazil towards the end of this year.

Besides funding, the African group also sought the implementation of the CCD, and maintained that the international community must accord it the same level of importance accorded the conventions on biodiversity and climate change. The CCD, adopted in June 1994, came into force in December 1996, with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of global actions against dryland degradation. It calls for national anti-degradation efforts actively involving local communities, and for donors to support affected countries and communities with financial and technical aid.

During the conference, several countries presented their national action plans in the fight against desertification. Chad announced its information campaigns and workshops for concerned individuals and organizations, Mali outlined national reforms empowering local communities to take action and Eritrea reported ongoing consultations among its administrators and community leaders on the issue. Senegal, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Uganda also presented their national action plans, while the developed member states and UN agencies reported on their support to the affected countries.

Mr. Souty Touré, Senegal's Minister of Environment, who chaired the conference, was optimistic that "by working together we can build a momentum for addressing the most pressing concerns of the people of the African continent and all arid regions of the world." Similarly upbeat, Mr. Diallo said there was evidence at the conference that the convention was beginning to make an impact on the lives of people living in drylands. A round table of 21 parliamentarians meeting at the conference appealed strongly for sufficient resources to be provided for the implementation of the convention without delay, and called for a declaration next year of a decade to combat desertification.

Africa's drylands degraded

The significance of Dakar's hosting of the conference was underlined by the fact that Senegal, a victim of frequent droughts, is situated in the arid Sahel zone. The country's Prime Minister Mamadou Lamine Loum, who closed the conference, noted that the choice of venue demonstrated the international community's solidarity with a region that has suffered from desertification more severely than any other. Desertification in Africa has caused the degradation of more than 105 mn hectares since the 1970s, he pointed out. Almost three-quarters of Africa's agricultural drylands are already degraded, with 73 per cent of its dryland severely or moderately desertified. Only North America, at 74 per cent, is worse off.

A total of 1,200 people attended the conference, among them 500 delegates from 132 countries, observers from inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations and representatives from UN agencies and regional organizations. Major decisions adopted at the conference, relating to policy, technical and organizational matters, included the establishment of a committee on the Review of the Implementation of the Convention. It would consider national reports from the parties, the Global Mechanism and the secretariat, and would start work towards the end of this year.

The conference agreed that Bonn, Germany, should be the new headquarters of the secretariat with effect from January 1999. It also adopted the work programme of COP-3, which will review the implementation of the African national action plans. The fourth conference will be held in Paris next year, and will review the implementation of reports of affected countries from regions other than Africa.

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