Editorial note

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) aims to ‘to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa, through effective action at all levels, supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements, in the framework of an integrated approach which is consistent with Agenda 21, with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in affected areas’ (Article 2).

The Parties shall implement their obligations through existing or prospective arrangements (Article 4(1)). Parties, in pursuing the objectives of the Convention, shall inter alia adopt an integrated approach (Article 4(2)(a)), give due attention to the situation of developing countries with regard to trade, marketing arrangements and debt (Article 4(2)(b)) and promote use of financial mechanisms to mobilize resources to affected developing countries (Article 4(2)(h)). Affected country parties (i.e. countries whose lands include, in whole or in part, arid, semi-arid and/or dry sub-humid areas affected or threatened by desertification) are required to develop national action programmes to combat desertification (Article 5). The purpose of the programmes is to identify factors contributing to desertification and practical measures necessary to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought such as the establishment of early warning systems, the strengthening of drought contingency plans, the establishment of food security systems and the development of sustainable irrigation programmes.