Sustainable Food Monitor

We, the participating Civil Society Organizations wish to express our
concern at the slow progress in the fight against desertification and
drought. For this reason civil society expects that the Ten-Year
Strategic Framework and Plan (PED) will address the ineffectiveness of
the Convention in dealing with land degradation and improving the
living conditions of affected communities, especially for those who
are in Africa.

This is an excerpt from the Civil society statement at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Read on for the full statement.

CLOSING STATEMENT BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE
SEVENTH MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION

The Civil Society Organizations which have participated in the seventh
session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in the city
of Istanbul, appreciate the hospitality extended by The Turkish
government and the support given by the Secretariat of the Convention,
particularly through the Facilitation, Coordination and Monitoring of
Implementation Unit, which has facilitated our work.

We, the participating Civil Society Organizations wish to express our
concern at the slow progress in the fight against desertification and
drought. For this reason civil society expects that the Ten-Year
Strategic Framework and Plan (PED) will address the ineffectiveness of
the Convention in dealing with land degradation and improving the
living conditions of affected communities, especially for those who
are in Africa.

We believe that countries should align their National Action Plans
(NAPs) with the Ten-Year Strategic Plan, and within that framework
develop baselines of the state of desertification, and develop goals,
targets and timetables which are aligned with the Ten-Year Strategic
Plan, and that progress towards these should be reflected in national
reports, prepared jointly with the participation of Civil Society.

We appreciate the new format of the Committee on Science and
Technology, which will engage entities and representatives of the
scientific community and renew its membership so as to include more
scientific and technical expertise. In this regard, we note that some
civil society organizations have a scientific and technical
orientation. The Consortium recently selected for the organization of
the Scientific Conference must include within its group of scientific
experts those of civil society who have expertise in this area.

In relation to the biophysical and socioeconomic indicators, we
emphasize that work has already been undertaken in the various
regions, which must be considered and adopted in the short term. We
also believe that indicators of participation are needed to monitor
the inclusion of CSOs in the implementation of the Convention, and
that these should be reflected in national reports. In the same vein,
we request that the Committee on Science and Technology should take
into account the work done by civil society on issues concerning the
knowledge, technology and practices in the fight against
desertification and drought. Furthermore, noting the poor performance
of the Thematic Program Networks (TPNs), we call upon the Parties and
the Secretariat to support the revitalisation of the TPNs.

We strongly urge that the Global Mechanism should comply with its
primary mandate, which is financing and technology transfer. In this
context it should serve both Parties and the organizations of civil
society, whose work we believe can be much more effective without the
current numbers of advisers and consultants. Likewise we believe that
the Global Mechanism, to assume the functions contemplated in the
operational objectives 1 (Advocacy, awareness and education) and 2
(policy framework), is moving away from the mandate given to it by the
Convention and that its attention is being distracted from its goal
Central.

We believe that the new proposal to restructure the Secretariat and
the GM does not reflect the mandate of the Strategic Framework and
Plan adopted at COP8. We note that very detailed individual work plans
have been submitted by the secretariat and the GM, whereas the common
workplan should receive the most investment. We believe that the GM
and Secretariat should be fully integrated programmatically and in
terms of work plans to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.

We appreciate the recommendation for inclusion of an open dialogue
session with civil society in the sessions of the CRIC, which we hope
will be adopted at COP9.

We believe that in the mobilization of resources and innovative
financing mechanisms to combat desertification, the Global Mechanism
should involve the private sector, within the framework of corporate
social responsibility.

Civil Society Organizations from all regions involved with the
implementation of the UNCCD undertake to revitalise or establish
networks at national, regional and global levels, and call upon the
Parties, the Global Mechanism and the Secretariat to provide them with
appropriate support in these efforts.

Mr Chairman, delegates from governments, and distinguished
participants at this seventh session of the CRIC, we would like to
assure you that you can depend on the cooperation, support and
resolute participation of our organizations throughout the process for
the full implementation of the Ten-Year Strategic Plan. In order to
more fully engage civil society in achieving the objectives of the
Strategy, we expect that the Parties will further define and elaborate
objectives, targets and time-frames.

Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE)
D-141 (annexy) Block-2, P.E.C.H.S
Karachi-75400, Pakistan
Tel: (92-21) 4522562, 4559448
Fax: (92-21) 4557009
e-mail: scope@scope. org.pk web: www.scope.org. pk
skype: scopepk

SCOPE is in the consultative status with UN ECOSOC and accredited with
UNEP, GEF, UN CSD, UNCCD, HABITAT and many other UN and international
environmental conventions, committees and bodies. It is member of
International Land Coalition (ILC), Environment Liaison Centre
International (ELCI), Freshwater Action Network (FAN) and DRYNET.

SCOPE is an active player in the implementation of UN Convention to
Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and working in the drought affected
drylands with local communities to manage natural resources.

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