(8th Meeting) Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention - UNCCD COP17

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. As you can tell, the final document of this 17th Conference of Parties is being delivered into this plenary hall. If you feel like it, feel free to join the chair and me in a round of applause for our documentation colleagues who have been working around the clock to make this happen.

Distinguished delegates, I call to order the eighth meeting of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention. At this meeting, we will take action on all proposals before the Committee, agenda item by agenda item. In keeping with the Committee's practice, There would be an opportunity to make statements after all proposals are considered. Due to the short turnaround, the committee would proceed on the basis of advanced documents available in English only. May I take it that the committee wishes to proceed on this basis? I hear no objection. It is so decided. I now invite the Committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 2 entitled Development and promotion of activities for targeted capacity-building to further the implementation of the Convention, in order to take action on the draft decision. The draft decision entitled Promotion of capacity-building to further the implementation of the Convention will be issued as an L document. May I take it that the Committee wishes to adopt the draft decision and recommend it to the Conference for adoption? I hear no objection. It is so decided. May I take it that the committee wishes to conclude its consideration of agenda item two and sub-items A to D? I hear no objection. It is so decided. You will be clapping a lot, I hope. I now invite the Committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 3 entitled Improving the procedures for the communication of information as well as the quality and formats of reports to be submitted to the Conference of the Parties in order to take action on a draft decision. The draft decision entitled Improving the procedures for the communication of information as well as the quality and formats of reports to be submitted to the Conference of the Parties will be issued as an L document. May I take it that the Committee wishes to adopt the draft decision and recommend it to the Conference for adoption? I hear no objection. It is so decided. the French. May I take it that the committee wishes to conclude its consideration of agenda item three? I hear no objection. It is so decided. I invite the Committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 4 entitled Report by the Global Environment Facility on the financing of programmes and projects concerning desertification, land degradation and droughts, in order to take action on a draft decision. The draft decision entitled Collaboration with the Global Environment Facility will be issued as an L document. May I take it that the Committee wishes to adopt the draft decision and recommend it to the Conference for adoption? I hear no objection. It is so decided. I now invite the committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 4b entitled report by the global mechanism on progress made in the mobilization of resources for the implementation of the convention matters relating to sustainable development Goal 15.3 and the facilitation of involvement of the private sector in order to take action on a draft decision. The draft decision entitled Progress Made in the Mobilization of Resources and Financial Flows for the Implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Framework will be issued as an L document. May I take it that the Committee wishes to adopt the draft decision and recommend it to the Conference for adoption? I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

May I take it that the Committee wishes to conclude its consideration of agenda item 4 and sub-items a and b? I hear no objection. It is so decided. I invite the Committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 5 entitled Procedural matters, programme of work for the 25th session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention, in order to take action on a draft decision. The draft decision entitled Program of Work for the 25th Session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention will be issued as an L document. May I take it that the Committee wishes to adopt the draft decision and recommend it to the Conference for adoption? United States, you have the floor. Apparently, it was a mistake. I will adopt it now very quickly.

It is so decided.

So, may I take it that the committee wishes to conclude its consideration of agenda item five? I hear no objection. It is so decided. The Committee has thus considered all proposals before it for this session. Does any party or observer wish to make a statement? I see none. I think we're all tired. So I would now like to invite the committee to consider agenda item six entitled adoption of the report of the committee for the review of the implementation of the convention. I give the floor to the distinguished rapporteur.

Chair, distinguished delegates, I have the honor to present a brief summary of the outcome of the committee's deliberation at its 24th session. The committee held eight meetings and considered all items on the committee agenda. The fifth meeting of the committee was held jointly with the Committee on Science and Technology. At its first meeting, the committee decided to establish a contact group on matters related to the Committee. At its fifth meeting, the Committee on Science and Technology decided to jointly establish a Joint Contact Group on matters that relate to both Committees. The Committee adopted six draft decisions at its seventh and eighth meetings and recommended the draft decisions to the Conference for adoption. I thank you, Chair.

We can clap. Thank you very much, distinguished rapporteur. May I take it that the committee approves the draft report on the understanding that the rapporteur would complete it with the assistance of the secretariat? I hear no objection. It is so decided. May I take it that the committee wishes to conclude its consideration of agenda item six? I hear no objection. It is so decided. Sorry, it's a bit repetitive. I now invite the committee to consider agenda item one B, entitled Election of officers other than the Chair of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention. Delegations will recall that pursuant to paragraphs 7 and 8 of the terms of reference of the CRIC, as contained in the annex to Decision 13/COP13, four Vice-Chairs shall constitute the Bureau of the CRIC. together with the Chair elected by the Conference of the Parties in accordance with Rule 31 of the Rules of Procedure of the COP. Once elected, the Vice-Chairs shall assume their office immediately and one of whom shall act as rapporteur. In connection with this decision, I have received the following nominations. From among the Asian States, Muhammad Zahul Mutakin of Indonesia. From among the Latin American and Caribbean States, Joseph Noel of Grenada. From among the Western European and other States, Flora Mack of Canada. May I take it that the committee wishes to elect the three candidates as vice chairs of the committee for its 25th and 26th sessions? I hear no objection. It is so decided. On behalf of the committee, I would like to express my congratulations to the vice chairs and wish them all the best in their work during the upcoming sessions of the committee. One vice chair from the group of Central and Eastern Europe remains to be elected. This election will be held on a later date. May I take it that the committee wishes to conclude its consideration of agenda item one and sub-item B. I hear no objection, it is so decided. We have thus concluded the consideration of all items on the agenda of the 24th session of the CRIC. I will now switch to French to deliver some closing remarks. I have to. Excellence.

Excellencies, Madam Executive Secretary.

Dear Secretary.

I must confess I didn't have a text prepared, so I'll speak, try to speak slowly. for the sake of our interpreters, whose task won't be easy, but I do want to thank them. I try not to joke around too much, because that can be tricky to interpret, but sincerely I did want to thank you all since it's the last time I'll have the chance to do so as CRIC Chair. The 23rd session of CRIC, as you recall, we were in Panama, CRIC 23. facing a number of difficulties, we opted for multilateralism, we opted for dialogue, we opted for compromise to try to move ahead together. And today again, I think we have met the challenge up to the last minute. We were negotiating, seeking compromise. transcending our differences to progress together and improve the life of billions of citizens who we represent all of us today. We've shown flexibility. I've heard that word a lot. We've shown courage sometimes, fraternity and for some even We've shown very advanced and very skillful yoga techniques. So well, my mandate ends here, but the CRIC's work will continue. And I have every confidence in you to continue the work that we started here and in Panama. Thank you so much for your trust in me as CRIC Chair, a young lady like myself. And for the nevertheless, I've learned so much from you, so once again, thank you. Thank you to Mongolia also for your hospitality for this COP. And to the secretariat, obviously, for supporting me in these two years, for having supported us. Thank you to the volunteers. Thanks to the press, to the civil society organizations, to researchers, to all those who've made these exchanges more interesting and more jovial. So thank you and see you soon in Belgrade for CRIC 25. And I can tell you this in my national capacity, as I won't be CRIC chair anymore, so in Belgrade according to the availability of resources thank you very much.

So now last one I declare closed the 24th session of the committee