Prologue
The Parties to this Convention,
Affirming that human beings in affected or threatened areas are at the center of concerns to
combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought,
Reflecting the urgent concern of the international community, including States and
international organizations, about the adverse impacts of desertification and drought,
Aware that arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas together account for a significant
proportion of the Earth’s land area and are the habitat and source of livelihood for a large
segment of its population,
Acknowledging that desertification and drought are problems of global dimension in that they
affect all regions of the world and that joint action of the international community is needed to
combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought,
Noting the high concentration of developing countries, notably the least developed countries,
among those experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, and the particularly tragic
consequences of these phenomena in Africa,
Noting also that desertification is caused by complex interactions among physical, biological,
political, social, cultural and economic factors,
Considering the impact of trade and relevant aspects of international economic relations on
the ability of affected countries to combat desertification adequately,
Conscious that sustainable economic growth, social development and poverty eradication are
priorities of affected developing countries, particularly in Africa, and are essential to meeting
sustainability objectives,
Mindful that desertification and drought affect sustainable development through their
interrelationships with important social problems such as poverty, poor health and nutrition,
lack of food security, and those arising from migration, displacement of persons and
demographic dynamics,
Appreciating the significance of the past efforts and experience of States and international
organizations in combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought, particularly
in implementing the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification which was adopted at the
United Nations Conference on Desertification in 1977,
Realizing that, despite efforts in the past, progress in combating desertification and mitigating
the effects of drought has not met expectations and that a new and more effective approach is
needed at all levels within the framework of sustainable development,
Recognizing the validity and relevance of decisions adopted at the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development, particularly of Agenda 21 and its chapter 12, which
provide a basis for combating desertification,
Reaffirming in this light the commitments of developed countries as contained in paragraph
13 of chapter 33 of Agenda 21,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 47/188, particularly the priority in it prescribed for
Africa, and all other relevant United Nations resolutions, decisions and programmes on
desertification and drought, as well as relevant declarations by African countries and those
from other regions,
Reaffirming the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development which states, in its
Principle 2, that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the
principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to
their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that
activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other
States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction,
Recognizing that national Governments play a critical role in combating desertification and
mitigating the effects of drought and that progress in that respect depends on local
implementation of action programs in affected areas,
Recognizing also the importance and necessity of international cooperation and partnership in
combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought,
Recognizing further the importance of the provision to affected developing countries,
particularly in Africa, of effective means, inter alia substantial financial resources, including
new and additional funding, and access to technology, without which it will be difficult for
them to implement fully their commitments under this Convention,
Expressing concern over the impact of desertification and drought on affected countries in
Central Asia and the Transcaucasus,
Stressing the important role played by women in regions affected by desertification and/or
drought, particularly in rural areas of developing countries, and the importance of ensuring the
full participation of both men and women at all levels in programs to combat
desertification and mitigate the effects of drought,
Emphasizing the special role of non-governmental organizations and other major groups in
programs to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought,
Bearing in mind the relationship between desertification and other environmental problems of
global dimension facing the international and national communities,
Bearing also in mind the contribution that combating desertification can make to achieving
the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the
Convention on Biological Diversity and other related environmental conventions,
Believing that strategies to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought will be
most effective if they are based on sound systematic observation and rigorous scientific
knowledge and if they are continuously re-evaluated,
Recognizing the urgent need to improve the effectiveness and coordination of international
cooperation to facilitate the implementation of national plans and priorities,
Determined to take appropriate action in combating desertification and mitigating the effects
of drought for the benefit of present and future generations,
Have agreed as follows:
PART I-INTRODUCTION
Article 1-Use of terms
For the purposes of this Convention:
a. “desertification” means land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid
areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human
activities;
b. “combating desertification” includes activities which are part of the integrated
development of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas for sustainable
development which are aimed at:
i. prevention and/or reduction of land degradation;
ii. rehabilitation of partly degraded land; and
iii. reclamation of desertified land;
c. “drought” means the naturally occurring phenomenon that exists when
precipitation has been significantly below normal recorded levels, causing serious
hydrological imbalances that adversely affect land resource production systems;
d. “mitigating the effects of drought” means activities related to the prediction of
drought and intended to reduce the vulnerability of society and natural systems to
drought as it relates to combating desertification;
e. “land” means the terrestrial bio-productive system that comprises soil,
vegetation, other biota, and the ecological and hydrological processes that operate
within the system;
f. “land degradation” means reduction or loss, in arid, semi-arid and dry subhumid areas, of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rainfed
cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest and woodlands resulting from
land uses or from a process or combination of processes, including processes arising
from human activities and habitation patterns, such as:
i. soil erosion caused by wind and/or water;
ii. deterioration of the physical, chemical and biological or economic
properties of soil; and
iii. long-term loss of natural vegetation;
g. “arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas” means areas, other than polar and
sub-polar regions, in which the ratio of annual precipitation to potential
evapotranspiration falls within the range from 0.05 to 0.65;
h. “affected areas” means arid, semi-arid and/or dry sub-humid areas affected or
threatened by desertification;
i. “affected countries” means countries whose lands include, in whole or in part,
affected areas;
j. “regional economic integration organization” means an organization
constituted by sovereign States of a given region which has competence in respect of
matters governed by this Convention and has been duly authorized, in accordance with
its internal procedures, to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to this Convention;
k. “developed country Parties” means developed country Parties and regional
economic integration organizations constituted by developed countries.
Article 2-Objective
1. The objective of this Convention is 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.
2. Achieving this objective will involve long-term integrated strategies that focus
simultaneously, in affected areas, on improved productivity of land, and the
rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable management of land and water resources,
leading to improved living conditions, in particular at the community level.
Article 3-Principles
In order to achieve the objective of this Convention and to implement its provisions,
the Parties shall be guided, inter alia, by the following:
a. the Parties should ensure that decisions on the design and implementation of
programs to combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought are taken
with the participation of populations and local communities and that an enabling
environment is created at higher levels to facilitate action at national and local levels;
b. the Parties should, in a spirit of international solidarity and partnership,
improve cooperation and coordination at subregional, regional and international levels,
and better focus financial, human, organizational and technical resources where they
are needed;
c. the Parties should develop, in a spirit of partnership, cooperation among all
levels of government, communities, non-governmental organizations and landholders
to establish a better understanding of the nature and value of land and scarce water
resources in affected areas and to work towards their sustainable use; and
d. the Parties should take into full consideration the special needs and
circumstances of affected developing country Parties, particularly the least developed
among them.
PART II-GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 4-General obligations
1. The Parties shall implement their obligations under this Convention,
individually or jointly, either through existing or prospective bilateral and multilateral
arrangements or a combination thereof, as appropriate, emphasizing the need to
coordinate efforts and develop a coherent long-term strategy at all levels.
2. In pursuing the objective of this Convention, the Parties shall:
a. adopt an integrated approach addressing the physical, biological and socioeconomic aspects of the processes of desertification and drought;
b. give due attention, within the relevant international and regional bodies, to the
situation of affected developing country Parties with regard to international trade,
marketing arrangements and debt with a view to establishing an enabling international
economic environment conducive to the promotion of sustainable development;
c. integrate strategies for poverty eradication into efforts to combat desertification
and mitigate the effects of drought;
d. promote cooperation among affected country Parties in the fields of
environmental protection and the conservation of land and water resources, as they
relate to desertification and drought;
e. strengthen subregional, regional and international cooperation;
f. cooperate within relevant intergovernmental organizations;
g. determine institutional mechanisms, if appropriate, keeping in mind the need to
avoid duplication; and
h. promote the use of existing bilateral and multilateral financial mechanisms
and arrangements that mobilize and channel substantial financial resources to affected
developing country Parties in combating desertification and mitigating the effects of
drought.
3. Affected developing country Parties are eligible for assistance in the
implementation of the Convention.
Article 5-Obligations of affected country Parties
In addition to their obligations pursuant to article 4, affected country Parties undertake
to:
a. give due priority to combating desertification and mitigating the effects of
drought, and allocate adequate resources in accordance with their circumstances and
capabilities;
b. establish strategies and priorities, within the framework of sustainable
development plans and/or policies, to combat desertification and mitigate the effects
of drought;
c. address the underlying causes of desertification and pay special attention to the
socio- economic factors contributing to desertification processes;
d. promote awareness and facilitate the participation of local populations,
particularly women and youth, with the support of non-governmental organizations, in
efforts to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought; and
e. provide an enabling environment by strengthening, as appropriate, relevant
existing legislation and, where they do not exist, enacting new laws and establishing
long-term policies and action programs.
Article 6-Obligations of developed country Parties
In addition to their general obligations pursuant to article 4, developed country Parties
undertake to:
a. actively support, as agreed, individually or jointly, the efforts of affected
developing country Parties, particularly those in Africa, and the least developed
countries, to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought;
b. provide substantial financial resources and other forms of support to assist
affected developing country Parties, particularly those in Africa, effectively to develop
and implement their own long-term plans and strategies to combat desertification and
mitigate the effects of drought;
c. promote the mobilization of new and additional funding pursuant to article 20,
paragraph 2 (b);
d. encourage the mobilization of funding from the private sector and other nongovernmental sources; and
e. promote and facilitate access by affected country Parties, particularly affected
developing country Parties, to appropriate technology, knowledge and know-how.
Article 7 -Priority for Africa
In implementing this Convention, the Parties shall give priority to affected African
country Parties, in the light of the particular situation prevailing in that region, while
not neglecting affected developing country Parties in other regions.
Article 8-Relationship with other conventions
1. The Parties shall encourage the coordination of activities carried out under this
Convention and, if they are Parties to them, under other relevant international
agreements, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, in order to derive maximum
benefit from activities under each agreement while avoiding duplication of effort. The
Parties shall encourage the conduct of joint programmes, particularly in the fields of
research, training, systematic observation and information collection and exchange, to
the extent that such activities may contribute to achieving the objectives of the
agreements concerned.
2. The provisions of this Convention shall not affect the rights and obligations of
any Party deriving from a bilateral, regional or international agreement into which it
has entered prior to the entry into force of this Convention for it.
Part III-ACTION PROGRAMS, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND SUPPORTING MEASURES
Section 1: Action programs
Article 9 -Basic approach
1. In carrying out their obligations pursuant to article 5, affected developing
country Parties and any other affected country Party in the framework of its regional
implementation annex or, otherwise, that has notified the Permanent Secretariat in
writing of its intention to prepare a national action program, shall, as appropriate,
prepare, make public and implement national action programs, utilizing and
building, to the extent possible, on existing relevant successful plans and programs,
and subregional and regional action programs, as the central element of the strategy
to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. Such programs shall
be updated through a continuing participatory process on the basis of lessons from
field action, as well as the results of research. The preparation of national action
programmes shall be closely interlinked with other efforts to formulate national
policies for sustainable development.
2. In the provision by developed country Parties of different forms of assistance
under the terms of article 6, priority shall be given to supporting, as agreed, national,
subregional and regional action programs of affected developing country Parties,
particularly those in Africa, either directly or through relevant multilateral
organizations or both.
3. The Parties shall encourage organs, funds and programs of the United
Nations system and other relevant intergovernmental organizations, academic
institutions, the scientific community and non-governmental organizations in a
position to cooperate, in accordance with their mandates and capabilities, to support
the elaboration, implementation and follow-up of action programs.
Article 10 -National action programs
1. The purpose of national action programs is to identify the factors
contributing to desertification and practical measures necessary to combat
desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.
2. National action programs shall specify the respective roles of government,
local communities and land users and the resources available and needed. They shall,
inter alia:
a. incorporate long-term strategies to combat desertification and mitigate the
effects of drought, emphasize implementation and be integrated with national policies
for sustainable development;
b. allow for modifications to be made in response to changing circumstances and
be sufficiently flexible at the local level to cope with different socio-economic,
biological and geo-physical conditions;
c. give particular attention to the implementation of preventive measures for
lands that are not yet degraded or which are only slightly degraded;
d. enhance national climatological, meteorological and hydrological capabilities
and the means to provide for drought early warning;
e. promote policies and strengthen institutional frameworks which develop
cooperation and coordination, in a spirit of partnership, between the donor community,
governments at all levels, local populations and community groups, and facilitate
access by local populations to appropriate information and technology;
f. provide for effective participation at the local, national and regional levels of
non- governmental organizations and local populations, both women and men,
particularly resource users, including farmers and pastoralists and their representative
organizations, in policy planning, decision-making, and implementation and review of
national action programs; and
g. require regular review of, and progress reports on, their implementation.
3. National action programs may include, inter alia, some or all of the
following measures to prepare for and mitigate the effects of drought:
a. establishment and/or strengthening, as appropriate, of early warning systems,
including local and national facilities and joint systems at the subregional and regional
levels, and mechanisms for assisting environmentally displaced persons;
b. strengthening of drought preparedness and management, including drought
contingency plans at the local, national, subregional and regional levels, which take
into consideration seasonal to inter annual climate predictions;
c. establishment and/or strengthening, as appropriate, of food security systems,
including storage and marketing facilities, particularly in rural areas;
d. establishment of alternative livelihood projects that could provide incomes in
drought prone areas; and
e. development of sustainable irrigation programs for both crops and
livestock.
4. Taking into account the circumstances and requirements specific to each
affected country Party, national action programs include, as appropriate, inter alia,
measures in some or all of the following priority fields as they relate to combating
desertification and mitigating the effects of drought in affected areas and to their
populations: promotion of alternative livelihoods and improvement of national
economic environments with a view to strengthening programs aimed at the
eradication of poverty and at ensuring food security; demographic dynamics;
sustainable management of natural resources; sustainable agricultural practices;
development and efficient use of various energy sources; institutional and legal
frameworks; strengthening of capabilities for assessment and systematic observation,
including hydrological and meteorological services, and capacity building, education
and public awareness.
Article 11-Subregional and regional action programs
Affected country Parties shall consult and cooperate to prepare, as appropriate, in
accordance with relevant regional implementation annexes, subregional and/or
regional action programs to harmonize, complement and increase the efficiency of
national programs. The provisions of article 10 shall apply mutatis mutandis to
subregional and regional programs. Such cooperation may include agreed joint
programs for the sustainable management of transboundary natural resources,
scientific and technical cooperation, and strengthening of relevant institutions.
Article 12-International cooperation
Affected country Parties, in collaboration with other Parties and the international
community, should cooperate to ensure the promotion of an enabling international
environment in the implementation of the Convention. Such cooperation should also
cover fields of technology transfer as well as scientific research and development,
information collection and dissemination and financial resources.
Article 13-Support for the elaboration and implementation of action programs
1. Measures to support action programs pursuant to article 9 include, inter alia:
a. financial cooperation to provide predictability for action programs, allowing
for necessary long-term planning;
b. elaboration and use of cooperation mechanisms which better enable support at
the local level, including action through non-governmental organizations, in order to
promote the replicability of successful pilot program activities where relevant;
c. increased flexibility in project design, funding and implementation in keeping
with the experimental, iterative approach indicated for participatory action at the local
community level; and
d. as appropriate, administrative and budgetary procedures that increase the
efficiency of cooperation and of support programs.
2. In providing such support to affected developing country Parties, priority shall
be given to African country Parties and to least developed country Parties.
Article 14-Coordination in the elaboration and implementation of action programs
1. The Parties shall work closely together, directly and through relevant
intergovernmental organizations, in the elaboration and implementation of action
programs.
2. The Parties shall develop operational mechanisms, particularly at the national
and field levels, to ensure the fullest possible coordination among developed country
Parties, developing country Parties and relevant intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, in order to avoid duplication, harmonize interventions
and approaches, and maximize the impact of assistance. In affected developing
country Parties, priority will be given to coordinating activities related to international
cooperation in order to maximize the efficient use of resources, to ensure responsive
assistance, and to facilitate the implementation of national action programmes and
priorities under this Convention.
Article 15 -Regional implementation annexes
Elements for incorporation in action programs shall be selected and adapted to the
socio- economic, geographical and climatic factors applicable to affected country
Parties or regions, as well as to their level of development. Guidelines for the
preparation of action programs and their exact focus and content for particular
subregions and regions are set out in the regional implementation annexes.
Section 2: Scientific and technical cooperation
Article 16 -Information collection, analysis and exchange
The Parties agree, according to their respective capabilities, to integrate and coordinate
the collection, analysis and exchange of relevant short term and long term data and
information to ensure systematic observation of land degradation in affected areas and
to understand better and assess the processes and effects of drought and
desertification. This would help accomplish, inter alia, early warning and advance
planning for periods of adverse climatic variation in a form suited for practical
application by users at all levels, including especially local populations. To this end,
they shall, as appropriate:
a. facilitate and strengthen the functioning of the global network of institutions
and facilities for the collection, analysis and exchange of information, as well as for
systematic observation at all levels, which shall, inter alia:
i. aim to use compatible standards and systems;
ii. encompass relevant data and stations, including in remote areas;
iii. use and disseminate modern technology for data collection,
transmission and assessment on land degradation; and
iv. link national, subregional and regional data and information centers
more closely with global information sources;
b. ensure that the collection, analysis and exchange of information address the
needs of local communities and those of decision makers, with a view to resolving
specific problems, and that local communities are involved in these activities;
c. support and further develop bilateral and multilateral programs and projects
aimed at defining, conducting, assessing and financing the collection, analysis and
exchange of data and information, including, inter alia, integrated sets of physical,
biological, social and economic indicators;
d. make full use of the expertise of competent intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, particularly to disseminate relevant information and
experiences among target groups in different regions;
e. give full weight to the collection, analysis and exchange of socio-economic
data, and their integration with physical and biological data;
f. exchange and make fully, openly and promptly available information from all
publicly available sources relevant to combating desertification and mitigating the
effects of drought; and
g. subject to their respective national legislation and/or policies, exchange
information on local and traditional knowledge, ensuring adequate protection for it
and providing appropriate return from the benefits derived from it, on an equitable
basis and on mutually agreed terms, to the local populations concerned.
Article 17 -Research and development
1. The Parties undertake, according to their respective capabilities, to promote
technical and scientific cooperation in the fields of combating desertification and
mitigating the effects of drought through appropriate national, subregional, regional
and international institutions. To this end, they shall support research activities that:
a. contribute to increased knowledge of the processes leading to desertification
and drought and the impact of, and distinction between, causal factors, both natural
and human, with a view to combating desertification and mitigating the effects of
drought, and achieving improved productivity as well as sustainable use and
management of resources;
b. respond to well defined objectives, address the specific needs of local
populations and lead to the identification and implementation of solutions that
improve the living standards of people in affected areas;
c. protect, integrate, enhance and validate traditional and local knowledge, know how and practices, ensuring, subject to their respective national legislation and/or
policies, that the owners of that knowledge will directly benefit on an equitable basis
and on mutually agreed terms from any commercial utilization of it or from any
technological development derived from that knowledge;
d. develop and strengthen national, subregional and regional research capabilities
in affected developing country Parties, particularly in Africa, including the
development of local skills and the strengthening of appropriate capacities, especially
in countries with a weak research base, giving particular attention to multidisciplinary
and participative socio- economic research;
e. take into account, where relevant, the relationship between poverty, migration
caused by environmental factors, and desertification;
f. promote the conduct of joint research programs between national,
subregional, regional and international research organizations, in both the public and
private sectors, for the development of improved, affordable and accessible
technologies for sustainable development through effective participation of local
populations and communities; and
g. enhance the availability of water resources in affected areas, by means of,
inter alia, cloud-seeding.
2. Research priorities for particular regions and subregions, reflecting different
local conditions, should be included in action programs. The Conference of the
Parties shall review research priorities periodically on the advice of the Committee on
Science and Technology.
Article 18 -Transfer, acquisition, adaptation and development of technology
1. The Parties undertake, as mutually agreed and in accordance with their
respective national legislation and/or policies, to promote, finance and/or facilitate the
financing of the transfer, acquisition, adaptation and development of environmentally
sound, economically viable and socially acceptable technologies relevant to combating
desertification and/or mitigating the effects of drought, with a view to contributing to
the achievement of sustainable development in affected areas. Such cooperation shall
be conducted bilaterally or multilaterally, as appropriate, making full use of the
expertise of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The Parties shall,
in particular:
a. fully utilize relevant existing national, subregional, regional and international
information systems and clearing-houses for the dissemination of information on
available technologies, their sources, their environmental risks and the broad terms
under which they may be acquired;
b. facilitate access, in particular by affected developing country Parties, on
favorable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually
agreed, taking into account the need to protect intellectual property rights, to
technologies most suitable to practical application for specific needs of local
populations, paying special attention to the social, cultural, economic and
environmental impact of such technology;
c. facilitate technology cooperation among affected country Parties through
financial assistance or other appropriate means;
d. extend technology cooperation with affected developing country Parties,
including, where relevant, joint ventures, especially to sectors which foster alternative
livelihoods; and
e. take appropriate measures to create domestic market conditions and
incentives, fiscal or otherwise, conducive to the development, transfer, acquisition and
adaptation of suitable technology, knowledge, know-how and practices, including
measures to ensure adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights.
2. The Parties shall, according to their respective capabilities, and subject to their
respective national legislation and/or policies, protect, promote and use in particular
relevant traditional and local technology, knowledge, know-how and practices and, to
that end, they undertake to:
a. make inventories of such technology, knowledge, know-how and practices
and their potential uses with the participation of local populations, and disseminate
such information, where appropriate, in cooperation with relevant intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations;
b. ensure that such technology, knowledge, know-how and practices are
adequately protected and that local populations benefit directly, on an equitable basis
and as mutually agreed, from any commercial utilization of them or from any
technological development derived therefrom;
c. encourage and actively support the improvement and dissemination of such
technology, knowledge, know-how and practices or of the development of new
technology based on them; and
d. facilitate, as appropriate, the adaptation of such technology, knowledge,
know-how and practices to wide use and integrate them with modern technology, as
appropriate.
Section 3: Supporting measures
Article 19-Capacity building, education and public awareness
1. The Parties recognize the significance of capacity building — that is to say,
institution building, training and development of relevant local and national capacities
in efforts to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. They shall
promote, as appropriate, capacity- building:
a. through the full participation at all levels of local people, particularly at the
local level, especially women and youth, with the cooperation of non-governmental
and local organizations;
b. by strengthening training and research capacity at the national level in the
field of desertification and drought;
c. by establishing and/or strengthening support and extension services to
disseminate relevant technology methods and techniques more effectively, and by
training field agents and members of rural organizations in participatory approaches
for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources;
d. by fostering the use and dissemination of the knowledge, know-how and
practices of local people in technical cooperation programmes, wherever possible;
e. by adapting, where necessary, relevant environmentally sound technology and
traditional methods of agriculture and pastoralism to modern socio-economic
conditions;
f. by providing appropriate training and technology in the use of alternative
energy sources, particularly renewable energy resources, aimed particularly at
reducing dependence on wood for fuel;
g. through cooperation, as mutually agreed, to strengthen the capacity of affected
developing country Parties to develop and implement programs in the field of
collection, analysis and exchange of information pursuant to article 16;
h. through innovative ways of promoting alternative livelihoods, including
training in new skills;
i. by training of decision makers, managers, and personnel who are responsible
for the collection and analysis of data for the dissemination and use of early warning
information on drought conditions and for food production;
j. through more effective operation of existing national institutions and legal
frameworks and, where necessary, creation of new ones, along with strengthening of
strategic planning and management; and
k. by means of exchange visitor programs to enhance capacity building in
affected country Parties through a long-term, interactive process of learning and study.
2. Affected developing country Parties shall conduct, in cooperation with other
Parties and competent intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, as
appropriate, an interdisciplinary review of available capacity and facilities at the local
and national levels, and the potential for strengthening them.
3. The Parties shall cooperate with each other and through competent
intergovernmental organizations, as well as with non-governmental organizations, in
undertaking and supporting public awareness and educational programmes in both
affected and, where relevant, unaffected country Parties to promote understanding of
the causes and effects of desertification and drought and of the importance of meeting
the objective of this Convention. To that end, they shall:
a. organize awareness campaigns for the general public;
b. promote, on a permanent basis, access by the public to relevant information,
and wide public participation in education and awareness activities;
c. encourage the establishment of associations that contribute to public
awareness;
d. develop and exchange educational and public awareness material, where
possible in local languages, exchange and second experts to train personnel of affected
developing country Parties in carrying out relevant education and awareness
programs, and fully utilize relevant educational material available in competent
international bodies;
e. assess educational needs in affected areas, elaborate appropriate school
curricula and expand, as needed, educational and adult literacy programs and
opportunities for all, in particular for girls and women, on the identification,
conservation and sustainable use and management of the natural resources of affected
areas; and
f. develop interdisciplinary participatory programs integrating desertification
and drought awareness into educational systems and in non-formal, adult, distance and
practical educational programs.
4. The Conference of the Parties shall establish and/or strengthen networks of
regional education and training centers to combat desertification and mitigate the
effects of drought. These networks shall be coordinated by an institution created or
designated for that purpose, in order to train scientific, technical and management
personnel and to strengthen existing institutions responsible for education and training
in affected country Parties, where appropriate, with a view to harmonizing
programs and to organizing exchanges of experience among them. These networks
shall cooperate closely with relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations to avoid duplication of effort.
Article 20 -Financial resources
1. Given the central importance of financing to the achievement of the objective
of the Convention, the Parties, taking into account their capabilities, shall make every
effort to ensure that adequate financial resources are available for programs to
combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.
2. In this connection, developed country Parties, while giving priority to affected
African country Parties without neglecting affected developing country Parties in
other regions, in accordance with article 7, undertake to:
a. mobilize substantial financial resources, including grants and concessional
loans, in order to support the implementation of programs to combat desertification
and mitigate the effects of drought;
b. promote the mobilization of adequate, timely and predictable financial
resources, including new and additional funding from the Global Environment Facility
of the agreed incremental costs of those activities concerning desertification that relate
to its four focal areas, in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Instrument
establishing the Global Environment Facility;
c. facilitate through international cooperation the transfer of technology,
knowledge and know-how; and
d. explore, in cooperation with affected developing country Parties, innovative
methods and incentives for mobilizing and channeling resources, including those of
foundations, non- governmental organizations and other private sector entities,
particularly debt swaps and other innovative means which increase financing by
reducing the external debt burden of affected developing country Parties, particularly
those in Africa.
3. Affected developing country Parties, taking into account their capabilities,
undertake to mobilize adequate financial resources for the implementation of their
national action programs.
4. In mobilizing financial resources, the Parties shall seek full use and continued
qualitative improvement of all national, bilateral and multilateral funding sources and
mechanisms, using consortia, joint programs and parallel financing, and shall seek
to involve private sector funding sources and mechanisms, including those of nongovernmental organizations. To this end, the Parties shall fully utilize the operational
mechanisms developed pursuant to article 14.
5. In order to mobilize the financial resources necessary for affected developing
country Parties to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought, the
Parties shall:
a. rationalize and strengthen the management of resources already allocated for
combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought by using them more
effectively and efficiently, assessing their successes and shortcomings, removing
hindrances to their effective use and, where necessary, reorienting programs in light
of the integrated long- term approach adopted pursuant to this Convention;
b. give due priority and attention within the governing bodies of multilateral
financial institutions, facilities and funds, including regional development banks and
funds, to supporting affected developing country Parties, particularly those in Africa,
in activities which advance implementation of the Convention, notably action
programs they undertake in the framework of regional implementation annexes;
and
c. examine ways in which regional and subregional cooperation can be
strengthened to support efforts undertaken at the national level.
6. Other Parties are encouraged to provide, on a voluntary basis, knowledge,
know-how and techniques related to desertification and/or financial resources to
affected developing country Parties.
7. The full implementation by affected developing country Parties, particularly
those in Africa, of their obligations under the Convention will be greatly assisted by
the fulfilment by developed country Parties of their obligations under the Convention,
including in particular those regarding financial resources and transfer of technology.
In fulfilling their obligations, developed country Parties should take fully into account
that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first priorities of
affected developing country Parties, particularly those in Africa.
Article 21 -Financial mechanisms
1. The Conference of the Parties shall promote the availability of financial
mechanisms and shall encourage such mechanisms to seek to maximize the
availability of funding for affected developing country Parties, particularly those in
Africa, to implement the Convention. To this end, the Conference of the Parties shall
consider for adoption inter alia approaches and policies that:
a. facilitate the provision of necessary funding at the national, subregional,
regional and global levels for activities pursuant to relevant provisions of the
Convention;
b. promote multiple-source funding approaches, mechanisms and arrangements
and their assessment, consistent with article 20;
c. provide on a regular basis, to interested Parties and relevant intergovernmental
and non- governmental organizations, information on available sources of funds and
on funding patterns in order to facilitate coordination among them;
d. facilitate the establishment, as appropriate, of mechanisms, such as national
desertification funds, including those involving the participation of non-governmental
organizations, to channel financial resources rapidly and efficiently to the local level
in affected developing country Parties; and
e. strengthen existing funds and financial mechanisms at the subregional and
regional levels, particularly in Africa, to support more effectively the implementation
of the Convention.
2. The Conference of the Parties shall also encourage the provision, through
various mechanisms within the United Nations system and through multilateral
financial institutions, of support at the national, subregional and regional levels to
activities that enable developing country Parties to meet their obligations under the
Convention.
3. Affected developing country Parties shall utilize, and where necessary,
establish and/or strengthen, national coordinating mechanisms, integrated in national
development programs, that would ensure the efficient use of all available financial
resources. They shall also utilize participatory processes involving non-governmental
organizations, local groups and the private sector, in raising funds, in elaborating as
well as implementing programs and in assuring access to funding by groups at the
local level. These actions can be enhanced by improved coordination and flexible
programming on the part of those providing assistance.
4. In order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of existing financial
mechanisms, a Global Mechanism to promote actions leading to the mobilization and
channeling of substantial financial resources, including for the transfer of technology,
on a grant basis, and/or on concessional or other terms, to affected developing country
Parties, is hereby established. This Global Mechanism shall function under the
authority and guidance of the Conference of the Parties and be accountable to it.
5. The Conference of the Parties shall identify, at its first ordinary session, an
organization to house the Global Mechanism. The Conference of the Parties and the
organization it has identified shall agree upon modalities for this Global Mechanism to
ensure inter alia that such Mechanism:
a. identifies and draws up an inventory of relevant bilateral and multilateral
cooperation programs that are available to implement the Convention;
b. provides advice, on request, to Parties on innovative methods of financing and
sources of financial assistance and on improving the coordination of cooperation
activities at the national level;
c. provides interested Parties and relevant intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations with information on available sources of funds and on
funding patterns in order to facilitate coordination among them; and
d. reports to the Conference of the Parties, beginning at its second ordinary
session, on its activities.
6. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first session, make appropriate
arrangements with the organization it has identified to house the Global Mechanism
for the administrative operations of such Mechanism, drawing to the extent possible
on existing budgetary and human resources.
7. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its third ordinary session, review the
policies, operational modalities and activities of the Global Mechanism accountable to
it pursuant to paragraph 4, taking into account the provisions of article 7. On the basis
of this review, it shall consider and take appropriate action.
PART IV-INSTITUTIONS
Article 22 -Conference of the Parties
1. A Conference of the Parties is hereby established.
2. The Conference of the Parties is the supreme body of the Convention. It shall
make, within its mandate, the decisions necessary to promote its effective
implementation. In particular, it shall:
a. regularly review the implementation of the Convention and the functioning of
its institutional arrangements in the light of the experience gained at the national,
subregional, regional and international levels and on the basis of the evolution of
scientific and technological knowledge;
b. promote and facilitate the exchange of information on measures adopted by
the Parties, and determine the form and timetable for transmitting the information to
be submitted pursuant to article 26, review the reports and make recommendations on
them;
c. establish such subsidiary bodies as are deemed necessary for the
implementation of the Convention;
d. review reports submitted by its subsidiary bodies and provide guidance to
them;
e. agree upon and adopt, by consensus, rules of procedure and financial rules for
itself and any subsidiary bodies;
f. adopt amendments to the Convention pursuant to articles 30 and 31;
g. approve a program and budget for its activities, including those of its
subsidiary bodies, and undertake necessary arrangements for their financing;
h. as appropriate, seek the cooperation of, and utilize the services of and
information provided by, competent bodies or agencies, whether national or
international, intergovernmental or non-governmental;
i. promote and strengthen the relationship with other relevant conventions while
avoiding duplication of effort; and
j. exercise such other functions as may be necessary for the achievement of the
objective of the Convention.
3. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first session, adopt its own rules of
procedure, by consensus, which shall include decision-making procedures for matters
not already covered by decision-making procedures stipulated in the Convention. Such
procedures may include specified majorities required for the adoption of particular
decisions.
4. The first session of the Conference of the Parties shall be convened by the
interim secretariat referred to in article 35 and shall take place not later than one year
after the date of entry into force of the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the
Conference of the Parties, the second, third and fourth ordinary sessions shall be held
yearly, and thereafter, ordinary sessions shall be held every two years.
5. Extraordinary sessions of the Conference of the Parties shall be held at such
other times as may be decided either by the Conference of the Parties in ordinary
session or at the written request of any Party, provided that, within three months of the
request being communicated to the Parties by the Permanent Secretariat, it is
supported by at least one third of the Parties.
6. At each ordinary session, the Conference of the Parties shall elect a Bureau.
The structure and functions of the Bureau shall be determined in the rules of
procedure. In appointing the Bureau, due regard shall be paid to the need to ensure
equitable geographical distribution and adequate representation of affected country
Parties, particularly those in Africa.
7. The United Nations, its specialized agencies and any State member thereof or
observers thereto not Party to the Convention, may be represented at sessions of the
Conference of the Parties as observers. Any body or agency, whether national or
international, governmental or non-governmental, which is qualified in matters
covered by the Convention, and which has informed the Permanent Secretariat of its
wish to be represented at a session of the Conference of the Parties as an observer,
may be so admitted unless at least one third of the Parties present object. The
admission and participation of observers shall be subject to the rules of procedure
adopted by the Conference of the Parties.
8. The Conference of the Parties may request competent national and
international organizations which have relevant expertise to provide it with
information relevant to article 16, paragraph (g), article 17, paragraph 1 (c) and article
18, paragraph 2(b).
Article 23 -Permanent Secretariat
1. A Permanent Secretariat is hereby established.
2. The functions of the Permanent Secretariat shall be:
a. to make arrangements for sessions of the Conference of the Parties and its
subsidiary bodies established under the Convention and to provide them with services
as required;
b. to compile and transmit reports submitted to it;
c. to facilitate assistance to affected developing country Parties, on request,
particularly those in Africa, in the compilation and communication of information
required under the Convention;
d. to coordinate its activities with the secretariats of other relevant international
bodies and conventions;
e. to enter, under the guidance of the Conference of the Parties, into such
administrative and contractual arrangements as may be required for the effective
discharge of its functions;
f. to prepare reports on the execution of its functions under this Convention and
present them to the Conference of the Parties; and
g. to perform such other secretariat functions as may be determined by the
Conference of the Parties.
3. The Conference of the Parties, at its first session, shall designate a Permanent
Secretariat and make arrangements for its functioning.
Article 24 -Committee on Science and Technology
1. A Committee on Science and Technology is hereby established as a subsidiary
body of the Conference of the Parties to provide it with information and advice on
scientific and technological matters relating to combating desertification and
mitigating the effects of drought. The Committee shall meet in conjunction with the
ordinary sessions of the Conference of the Parties and shall be multidisciplinary and
open to the participation of all Parties. It shall be composed of government
representatives competent in the relevant fields of expertise. The Conference of the
Parties shall decide, at its first session, on the terms of reference of the Committee.
2. The Conference of the Parties shall establish and maintain a roster of
independent experts with expertise and experience in the relevant fields. The roster
shall be based on nominations received in writing from the Parties, taking into account
the need for a multidisciplinary approach and broad geographical representation.
3. The Conference of the Parties may, as necessary, appoint ad hoc panels to
provide it, through the Committee, with information and advice on specific issues
regarding the state of the art in fields of science and technology relevant to combating
desertification and mitigating the effects of drought. These panels shall be composed
of experts whose names are taken from the roster, taking into account the need for a
multidisciplinary approach and broad geographical representation. These experts shall
have scientific backgrounds and field experience and shall be appointed by the
Conference of the Parties on the recommendation of the Committee. The Conference
of the Parties shall decide on the terms of reference and the modalities of work of
these panels.
Article 25 -Networking of institutions, agencies and bodies
1. The Committee on Science and Technology shall, under the supervision of the
Conference of the Parties, make provision for the undertaking of a survey and
evaluation of the relevant existing networks, institutions, agencies and bodies willing
to become units of a network. Such a network shall support the implementation of the
Convention.
2. On the basis of the results of the survey and evaluation referred to in
paragraph 1, the Committee on Science and Technology shall make recommendations
to the Conference of the Parties on ways and means to facilitate and strengthen
networking of the units at the local, national and other levels, with a view to ensuring
that the thematic needs set out in articles 16 to 19 are addressed.
3. Taking into account these recommendations, the Conference of the Parties
shall:
a. identify those national, subregional, regional and international units that are
most appropriate for networking, and recommend operational procedures, and a time
frame, for them; and
b. identify the units best suited to facilitating and strengthening such networking
at all levels.
PART V-PROCEDURES
Article 26 -Communication of information
1. Each Party shall communicate to the Conference of the Parties for
consideration at its ordinary sessions, through the Permanent Secretariat, reports on
the measures which it has taken for the implementation of the Convention. The
Conference of the Parties shall determine the timetable for submission and the format
of such reports.
2. Affected country Parties shall provide a description of the strategies
established pursuant to article 5 and of any relevant information on their
implementation.
3. Affected country Parties which implement action programs pursuant to
articles 9 to 15 shall provide a detailed description of the programs and of their
implementation.
4. Any group of affected country Parties may make a joint communication on
measures taken at the subregional and/or regional levels in the framework of action
programs.
5. Developed country Parties shall report on measures taken to assist in the
preparation and implementation of action programs, including information on the
financial resources they have provided, or are providing, under the Convention.
6. Information communicated pursuant to paragraphs 1 to 4 shall be transmitted
by the Permanent Secretariat as soon as possible to the Conference of the Parties and
to any relevant subsidiary body.
7. The Conference of the Parties shall facilitate the provision to affected
developing countries, particularly those in Africa, on request, of technical and
financial support in compiling and communicating information in accordance with this
article, as well as identifying the technical and financial needs associated with action
programs.
Article 27 -Measures to resolve questions on implementation
The Conference of the Parties shall consider and adopt procedures and institutional
mechanisms for the resolution of questions that may arise with regard to the
implementation of the Convention.
Article 28 -Settlement of disputes
1. Parties shall settle any dispute between them concerning the interpretation or
application of the Convention through negotiation or other peaceful means of their
own choice.
2. When ratifying, accepting, approving, or acceding to the Convention, or at any
time thereafter, a Party which is not a regional economic integration organization may
declare in a written instrument submitted to the Depositary that, in respect of any
dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, it recognizes
one or both of the following means of dispute settlement as compulsory in relation to
any Party accepting the same obligation:
a. arbitration in accordance with procedures adopted by the Conference of the
Parties in an annex as soon as practicable;
b. submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice.
3. A Party which is a regional economic integration organization may make a
declaration with like effect in relation to arbitration in accordance with the procedure
referred to in paragraph 2 (a).
4. A declaration made pursuant to paragraph 2 shall remain in force until it
expires in accordance with its terms or until three months after written notice of its
revocation has been deposited with the Depositary.
5. The expiry of a declaration, a notice of revocation or a new declaration shall
not in any way affect proceedings pending before an arbitral tribunal or the
International Court of Justice unless the Parties to the dispute otherwise agree.
6. If the Parties to a dispute have not accepted the same or any procedure
pursuant to paragraph 2 and if they have not been able to settle their dispute within
twelve months following notification by one Party to another that a dispute exists
between them, the dispute shall be submitted to conciliation at the request of any Party
to the dispute, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Conference of the Parties
in an annex as soon as practicable.
Article 29 -Status of annexes
1. Annexes form an integral part of the Convention and, unless expressly
provided otherwise, a reference to the Convention also constitutes a reference to its
annexes.
2. The Parties shall interpret the provisions of the annexes in a manner that is in
conformity with their rights and obligations under the articles of this Convention.
Article 30 -Amendments to the Convention
1. Any Party may propose amendments to the Convention.
2. Amendments to the Convention shall be adopted at an ordinary session of the
Conference of the Parties. The text of any proposed amendment shall be
communicated to the Parties by the Permanent Secretariat at least six months before
the meeting at which it is proposed for adoption. The Permanent Secretariat shall also
communicate proposed amendments to the signatories to the Convention.
3. The Parties shall make every effort to reach agreement on any proposed
amendment to the Convention by consensus. If all efforts at consensus have been
exhausted and no agreement reached, the amendment shall, as a last resort, be adopted
by a two-thirds majority vote of the Parties present and voting at the meeting. The
adopted amendment shall be communicated by the Permanent Secretariat to the
Depositary, who shall circulate it to all Parties for their ratification, acceptance,
approval or accession.
4. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession in respect of an
amendment shall be deposited with the Depositary. An amendment adopted pursuant
to paragraph 3 shall enter into force for those Parties having accepted it on the
ninetieth day after the date of receipt by the Depositary of an instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession by at least two thirds of the Parties to
the Convention which were Parties at the time of the adoption of the amendment.
5. The amendment shall enter into force for any other Party on the ninetieth day
after the date on which that Party deposits with the Depositary its instrument of
ratification, acceptance or approval of, or accession to the said amendment.
6. For the purposes of this article and article 31, “Parties present and voting”
means Parties present and casting an affirmative or negative vote.
Article 31 -Adoption and amendment of annexes
1. Any additional annex to the Convention and any amendment to an annex shall
be proposed and adopted in accordance with the procedure for amendment of the
Convention set forth in article 30, provided that, in adopting an additional regional
implementation annex or amendment to any regional implementation annex, the
majority provided for in that article shall include a two-thirds majority vote of the
Parties of the region concerned present and voting. The adoption or amendment of an
annex shall be communicated by the Depositary to all Parties.
2. An annex, other than an additional regional implementation annex, or an
amendment to an annex, other than an amendment to any regional implementation
annex, that has been adopted in accordance with paragraph 1, shall enter into force for
all Parties to the Convention six months after the date of communication by the
Depositary to such Parties of the adoption of such annex or amendment, except for
those Parties that have notified the Depositary in writing within that period of their
non- acceptance of such annex or amendment. Such annex or amendment shall enter
into force for Parties which withdraw their notification of non-acceptance on the
ninetieth day after the date on which withdrawal of such notification has been received
by the Depositary.
3. An additional regional implementation annex or amendment to any regional
implementation annex that has been adopted in accordance with paragraph 1, shall
enter into force for all Parties to the Convention six months after the date of the
communication by the Depositary to such Parties of the adoption of such annex or
amendment, except with respect to:
a. any Party that has notified the Depositary in writing, within such six month
period, of its non-acceptance of that additional regional implementation annex or of
the amendment to the regional implementation annex, in which case such annex or
amendment shall enter into force for Parties which withdraw their notification of nonacceptance on the ninetieth day after the date on which withdrawal of such notification
has been received by the Depositary; and
b. any Party that has made a declaration with respect to additional regional
implementation annexes or amendments to regional implementation annexes in
accordance with article 34, paragraph 4, in which case any such annex or amendment
shall enter into force for such a Party on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit with
the Depositary of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with
respect to such annex or amendment.
4. If the adoption of an annex or an amendment to an annex involves an
amendment to the Convention, that annex or amendment to an annex shall not enter
into force until such time as the amendment to the Convention enters into force.
Article 32 -Right to vote
1. Except as provided for in paragraph 2, each Party to the Convention shall have
one vote.
2. Regional economic integration organizations, in matters within their
competence, shall exercise their right to vote with a number of votes equal to the
number of their member States that are Parties to the Convention. Such an
organization shall not exercise its right to vote if any of its member States exercises its
right, and vice versa.
PART VI-FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 33 -Signature
This Convention shall be opened for signature at Paris, on 14-15 October 1994, by
States Members of the United Nations or any of its specialized agencies or that are
Parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice and by regional economic
integration organizations. It shall remain open for signature, thereafter, at the United
Nations Headquarters in New York until 13 October 1995.
Article 34-Ratification, acceptance, approval and accession
1. The Convention shall be subject to ratification, acceptance, approval or
accession by States and by regional economic integration organizations. It shall be
open for accession from the day after the date on which the Convention is closed for
signature. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be
deposited with the Depositary.
2. Any regional economic integration organization which becomes a Party to the
Convention without any of its member States being a Party to the Convention shall be
bound by all the obligations under the Convention. Where one or more member States
of such an organization are also Party to the Convention, the organization and its
member States shall decide on their respective responsibilities for the performance of
their obligations under the Convention. In such cases, the organization and the
member States shall not be entitled to exercise rights under the Convention
concurrently.
3. In their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, regional
economic integration organizations shall declare the extent of their competence with
respect to the matters governed by the Convention. They shall also promptly inform
the Depositary, who shall in turn inform the Parties, of any substantial modification in
the extent of their competence.
4. In its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, any Party
may declare that, with respect to it, any additional regional implementation annex or
any amendment to any regional implementation annex shall enter into force only upon
the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with
respect thereto.
Article 35 -Interim arrangements
The secretariat functions referred to in article 23 will be carried out on an interim basis
by the secretariat established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its
resolution 47/188 of 22 December 1992, until the completion of the first session of the
Conference of the Parties.
Article 36 -Entry into force
1. The Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of
deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
2. For each State or regional economic integration organization ratifying,
accepting, approving or acceding to the Convention after the deposit of the fiftieth
instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the Convention shall
enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit by such State or regional
economic integration organization of its instrument of ratification, acceptance,
approval or accession.
3. For the purposes of paragraphs 1 and 2, any instrument deposited by a regional
economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited
by States members of the organization.
Article 37 -Reservations
No reservations may be made to this Convention.
Article 38 -Withdrawal
1. At any time after three years from the date on which the Convention has
entered into force for a Party, that Party may withdraw from the Convention by giving
written notification to the Depositary.
2. Any such withdrawal shall take effect upon expiry of one year from the date of
receipt by the Depositary of the notification of withdrawal, or on such later date as
may be specified in the notification of withdrawal.
Article 39 -Depositary
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be the Depositary of the
Convention.
Article 40 -Authentic texts
The original of the present Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French,
Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the United Nations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorized to that effect, have signed
the present Convention.
DONE AT Paris, this 17th day of June one thousand nine hundred and ninety-four.
