SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ENTRY INTO FORCE OF CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION
Press Release
SG/SM/6067
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ENTRY INTO FORCE OF CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION
19960927 Following is a statement by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on the forthcoming entry into force of the Convention to Combat Desertification:Today the fiftieth instrument of ratification of the Convention to Combat Desertification was deposited, and three months from now the Convention will enter into force. Thus a vision of international solidarity for the sustainable development of arid lands is now turning into commitment for concrete action.
Given the gravity of the problems arising from desertification, I believe that the entry into force of the Convention will be a turning point in our efforts to deal with them. The challenge of combating desertification is of such a magnitude, both in time and space, that needed action goes well beyond what individual governments can do. Desertification puts at risk the livelihood of more than 1 billion people, and about 135 million may be in danger of being driven from their land. The situation is especially dramatic in Africa, but urgent action is needed in many other regions. Furthermore, countries which are not directly hit by this phenomenon bear some of its consequences, for desertification contributes to food insecurity, economic hardship and political unrest, which in turn lead to population movements that do not stop within national boundaries.
Therefore, the Convention has recognized the need to associate civil society with the action of the State. Its significance lies in its participatory approach, involving the integrated commitment of all actors -- national governments, scientific institutions, local communities and authorities, and non-governmental organizations, as well as international partners, both bilateral and multilateral.
The Convention is one tangible follow-up to the Rio Summit on environment and development. It contains the principles and tools to put into operation the concept of sustainable development. It seeks to combine the alleviation of poverty with the restoration of the agro-ecological balance,
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thus creating a potential for direct and early benefits to people living in the world's drylands. The relationship between environmental crisis and socio-economic well-being is clearly addressed through national and local development approaches.
The Convention has already led to a revival of interest in the fate of the drylands. It reasserts the legitimacy of multilateral cooperation in preserving the earth's natural resources for the next generations. I am delighted to confirm today that the efforts of the international community are bearing fruit so that now the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification can begin.
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