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10. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

Paris, 14 October 1994

 

Entry into force: 26 December 1996, in accordance with article 36 (1).
Registration: 26 December 1996, No. 33480.
Status: Signatories: 115 ,Parties: 192.
Text: United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1954, p. 3; depositary notification C.N.176.1995.TREATIES-6 of 27 July 1995 (procès-verbal of rectification of the authentic Chinese text); C.N.513.2000.TREATIES-9 of 19 July 2000 (procès-verbal of rectification of the authentic russian text); C.N.1490.2000.TREATIES-16 of 6 March 2001 (adoption of annex V) and C.N.866.2001.TREATIES-5 of 17 September 2001 (Entry into force of Annex V)1. 

Note: The Convention was adopted on 17 June 1994 by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the elaboration of an international convention to combat desertification in those countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa (established pursuant to resolution 47/1882 of the General Assembly dated 22 December 1992), during its Fifth session held at Paris. The Convention was open for signature at Paris by all States and regional economic integration organizations on 14 and 15 October 1994. Thereafter, it remained open for signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York until 13 October 1995.

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Participant  Signature  Ratification, Accession (a), Acceptance (A) 
Afghanistan    1 Nov 1995 a 
Albania    27 Apr 2000 a 
Algeria  14 Oct 1994  22 May 1996 
Andorra    15 Jul 2002 a 
Angola  14 Oct 1994  30 Jun 1997 
Antigua and Barbuda  4 Apr 1995  6 Jun 1997 
Argentina  15 Oct 1994  6 Jan 1997 
Armenia  14 Oct 1994  2 Jul 1997 
Australia  14 Oct 1994  15 May 2000 
Austria    2 Jun 1997 a 
Azerbaijan    10 Aug 1998 a 
Bahamas    10 Nov 2000 a 
Bahrain    14 Jul 1997 a 
Bangladesh  14 Oct 1994  26 Jan 1996 
Barbados    14 May 1997 a 
Belarus    29 Aug 2001 a 
Belgium    30 Jun 1997 a 
Belize    23 Jul 1998 a 
Benin  14 Oct 1994  29 Aug 1996 
Bhutan    20 Aug 2003 a 
Bolivia  14 Oct 1994  1 Aug 1996 
Bosnia and Herzegovina    26 Aug 2002 a 
Botswana  12 Oct 1995  11 Sep 1996 
Brazil  14 Oct 1994  25 Jun 1997 
Brunei Darussalam    4 Dec 2002 a 
Bulgaria    21 Feb 2001 a 
Burkina Faso  14 Oct 1994  26 Jan 1996 
Burundi  14 Oct 1994  6 Jan 1997 
Cambodia  15 Oct 1994  18 Aug 1997 
Cameroon  14 Oct 1994  29 May 1997 
Canada  14 Oct 1994  1 Dec 1995 
Cape Verde  14 Oct 1994  8 May 1995 
Central African Republic  14 Oct 1994  5 Sep 1996 
Chad  14 Oct 1994  27 Sep 1996 
Chile  3 Mar 1995  11 Nov 1997 
China  14 Oct 1994  18 Feb 1997 
Colombia  14 Oct 1994  8 Jun 1999 
Comoros  14 Oct 1994  3 Mar 1998 
Congo  15 Oct 1994  12 Jul 1999 
Cook Islands    21 Aug 1998 a 
Costa Rica  15 Oct 1994  5 Jan 1998 
Côte d'Ivoire  15 Oct 1994  4 Mar 1997 
Croatia  15 Oct 1994  6 Oct 2000 A 
Cuba  15 Oct 1994  13 Mar 1997 
Cyprus    29 Mar 2000 a 
Czech Republic    25 Jan 2000 a 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea    29 Dec 2003 a 
Democratic Republic of the Congo  14 Oct 1994  12 Sep 1997 
Denmark  15 Oct 1994  22 Dec 1995 
Djibouti  15 Oct 1994  12 Jun 1997 
Dominica    8 Dec 1997 a 
Dominican Republic    26 Jun 1997 a 
Ecuador  19 Jan 1995  6 Sep 1995 
Egypt  14 Oct 1994  7 Jul 1995 
El Salvador    27 Jun 1997 a 
Equatorial Guinea  14 Oct 1994  27 Jun 1997 
Eritrea  14 Oct 1994  14 Aug 1996 
Ethiopia  15 Oct 1994  27 Jun 1997 
European Community  14 Oct 1994  26 Mar 1998 
Fiji    26 Aug 1998 a 
Finland  15 Oct 1994  20 Sep 1995 A 
France  14 Oct 1994  12 Jun 1997 
Gabon    6 Sep 1996 a 
Gambia  14 Oct 1994  11 Jun 1996 
Georgia  15 Oct 1994  23 Jul 1999 
Germany  14 Oct 1994  10 Jul 1996 
Ghana  15 Oct 1994  27 Dec 1996 
Greece  14 Oct 1994  5 May 1997 
Grenada    28 May 1997 a 
Guatemala    10 Sep 1998 a 
Guinea  14 Oct 1994  23 Jun 1997 
Guinea-Bissau  15 Oct 1994  27 Oct 1995 
Guyana    26 Jun 1997 a 
Haiti  15 Oct 1994  25 Sep 1996 
Honduras  22 Feb 1995  25 Jun 1997 
Hungary    13 Jul 1999 a 
Iceland    3 Jun 1997 a 
India  14 Oct 1994  17 Dec 1996 
Indonesia  15 Oct 1994  31 Aug 1998 
Iran (Islamic Republic of)  14 Oct 1994  29 Apr 1997 
Ireland  15 Oct 1994  31 Jul 1997 
Israel  14 Oct 1994  26 Mar 1996 
Italy  14 Oct 1994  23 Jun 1997 
Jamaica    12 Nov 1997 a 
Japan  14 Oct 1994  11 Sep 1998 A 
Jordan  13 Apr 1995  21 Oct 1996 
Kazakhstan  14 Oct 1994  9 Jul 1997 
Kenya  14 Oct 1994  24 Jun 1997 
Kiribati    8 Sep 1998 a 
Kuwait  22 Sep 1995  27 Jun 1997 
Kyrgyzstan    19 Sep 1997 a 
Lao People's Democratic Republic  30 Aug 1995  20 Sep 1996 A 
Latvia    21 Oct 2002 a 
Lebanon  14 Oct 1994  16 May 1996 
Lesotho  15 Oct 1994  12 Sep 1995 
Liberia    2 Mar 1998 a 
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya  15 Oct 1994  22 Jul 1996 
Liechtenstein    29 Dec 1999 a 
Lithuania    25 Jul 2003 a 
Luxembourg  14 Oct 1994  4 Feb 1997 
Madagascar  14 Oct 1994  25 Jun 1997 
Malawi  17 Jan 1995  13 Jun 1996 
Malaysia  6 Oct 1995  25 Jun 1997 
Maldives    3 Sep 2002 a 
Mali  15 Oct 1994  31 Oct 1995 
Malta  15 Oct 1994  30 Jan 1998 
Marshall Islands    2 Jun 1998 a 
Mauritania  14 Oct 1994  7 Aug 1996 
Mauritius  17 Mar 1995  23 Jan 1996 
Mexico  15 Oct 1994  3 Apr 1995 
Micronesia (Federated States of)  12 Dec 1994  25 Mar 1996 
Moldova    10 Mar 1999 a 
Monaco    5 Mar 1999 a 
Mongolia  15 Oct 1994  3 Sep 1996 
Montenegro    4 Jun 2007 a 
Morocco  15 Oct 1994  7 Nov 1996 
Mozambique  28 Sep 1995  13 Mar 1997 
Myanmar    2 Jan 1997 a 
Namibia  24 Oct 1994  16 May 1997 
Nauru    22 Sep 1998 a 
Nepal  12 Oct 1995  15 Oct 1996 
Netherlands3  15 Oct 1994  27 Jun 1995 A 
New Zealand4    7 Sep 2000 a 
Nicaragua  21 Nov 1994  17 Feb 1998 
Niger  14 Oct 1994  19 Jan 1996 
Nigeria  31 Oct 1994  8 Jul 1997 
Niue    14 Aug 1998 a 
Norway  15 Oct 1994  30 Aug 1996 
Oman    23 Jul 1996 a 
Pakistan  15 Oct 1994  24 Feb 1997 
Palau    15 Jun 1999 a 
Panama  22 Feb 1995  4 Apr 1996 
Papua New Guinea    6 Dec 2000 a 
Paraguay  1 Dec 1994  15 Jan 1997 
Peru  15 Oct 1994  9 Nov 1995 
Philippines  8 Dec 1994  10 Feb 2000 
Poland    14 Nov 2001 a 
Portugal  14 Oct 1994  1 Apr 1996 
Qatar    15 Mar 1999 a 
Republic of Korea  14 Oct 1994  17 Aug 1999 
Romania    19 Aug 1998 a 
Russian Federation    29 May 2003 a 
Rwanda  22 Jun 1995  22 Oct 1998 
Saint Kitts and Nevis    30 Jun 1997 a 
Saint Lucia    2 Jul 1997 a 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  15 Oct 1994  16 Mar 1998 
Samoa    21 Aug 1998 a 
San Marino    23 Jul 1999 a 
Sao Tome and Principe  4 Oct 1995  8 Jul 1998 
Saudi Arabia    25 Jun 1997 a 
Senegal  14 Oct 1994  26 Jul 1995 
Seychelles  14 Oct 1994  26 Jun 1997 
Sierra Leone  11 Nov 1994  25 Sep 1997 
Singapore    26 Apr 1999 a 
Slovakia    7 Jan 2002 a 
Slovenia    28 Jun 2001 a 
Solomon Islands    16 Apr 1999 a 
Somalia    24 Jul 2002 a 
South Africa  9 Jan 1995  30 Sep 1997 
Spain  14 Oct 1994  30 Jan 1996 
Sri Lanka    9 Dec 1998 a 
Sudan  15 Oct 1994  24 Nov 1995 
Suriname    1 Jun 2000 a 
Swaziland  27 Jul 1995  7 Oct 1996 
Sweden  15 Oct 1994  12 Dec 1995 
Switzerland  14 Oct 1994  19 Jan 1996 
Syrian Arab Republic  15 Oct 1994  10 Jun 1997 
Tajikistan    16 Jul 1997 a 
Thailand    7 Mar 2001 a 
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia    6 Mar 2002 a 
Timor-Leste    20 Aug 2003 a 
Togo  15 Oct 1994  4 Oct 1995 A 
Tonga    25 Sep 1998 a 
Trinidad and Tobago    8 Jun 2000 a 
Tunisia  14 Oct 1994  11 Oct 1995 
Turkey  14 Oct 1994  31 Mar 1998 
Turkmenistan  27 Mar 1995  18 Sep 1996 
Tuvalu    14 Sep 1998 a 
Uganda  21 Nov 1994  25 Jun 1997 
Ukraine    27 Aug 2002 a 
United Arab Emirates    21 Oct 1998 a 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland5  14 Oct 1994  18 Oct 1996 
United Republic of Tanzania  14 Oct 1994  19 Jun 1997 
United States of America  14 Oct 1994  17 Nov 2000 
Uruguay    17 Feb 1999 a 
Uzbekistan  7 Dec 1994  31 Oct 1995 
Vanuatu  28 Sep 1995  10 Aug 1999 
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)    29 Jun 1998 a 
Viet Nam    25 Aug 1998 a 
Yemen    14 Jan 1997 a 
Zambia  15 Oct 1994  19 Sep 1996 
Zimbabwe  15 Oct 1994  23 Sep 1997 
 

 

DECLARATIONS

Declarations

(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations were made upon ratification,

accession or acceptance.)

Algeria

Declaration:

The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 28, paragraph 2, of the [said Convention], to the effect that any dispute must be submitted to the International Court of Justice.

The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria declares that for a dispute submitted to the International Court of Justice, the consent of both parties will be necessary in each case.

Austria

Declaration:

"The Republic of Austria declares in accordance with article 28 of the Convention that it accepts both of the means of dispute in paragraph 2 as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting an obligation concerning one or both of these means of dispute settlement."

Guatemala

Declaration:

The Republic f Guatemala declares that, in respect of any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, it recognizes arbitration in accordance with procedures adopted by the Conference of the Parties in an annex as soon as practicable as a means of dispute settlement, compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation. This declaration shall remain in force until three months after written notice of its revocation has been deposited with the Depositary.

Kuwait

Declaration:

With respect to the State of Kuwait, 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 or accession with respect thereto.

Netherlands

Declaration:

"The Kingdom of the Netherlands declares, in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 28 of [the said Convention] that it accepts both means of dispute settlement referred to in that paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting one or both of these means of dispute settlement."

New Zealand

Declaration:

"Any additional regional implementation annex or any amendment to any regional implementation annex to the Convention shall enter into force for New Zealand only upon the Government of New Zealand's deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with respect thereto."

United States of America

Understandings:

" (1) Foreign assistance.-- The United States understands that, as a "developed country," pursuant to Article 6 of the Convention and its Annexes, it is not obligated to satisfy specific funding requirements or other specific requirements regarding the provision of any resource, including technology, to any "affected country," as defined in Article 1 of the Convention. The United States understands that ratification of the Convention does not alter its domestic legal processes to determine foreign assistance funding or programs.

(2) Financial resources and mechanism.-- The United States understands that neither Article 20 nor Article 21 of the Convention impose obligations to provide specific levels of funding for the Global Environmental Facility, or the Global Mechanism, to carry out the objectives of the Convention, or for any other purpose.

(3) United States land management.-- The United States understands that it is a "developed country party" as defined in Article 1 of the Convention, and that it is not required to prepare a national action program pursuant to Part III, Section 1, of the Convention. The United States also understands that no changes to its existing land management practices and programs will be required to meet its obligations under Articles 4 or 5 of the Convention.

(4) Legal process for amending the Convention.-- In accordance with Article 34 (4), any additional regional implementation annex to the Convention or any amendment to any regional implementation annex to the Convention shall enter into force for the United States only upon the deposit of a corresponding instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

(5) Dispute settlement.-- The United States declines to accept as compulsory either of the dispute settlement means set out in Article 28(2), and understands that it will not be bound by the outcome, findings, conclusions or recommendations of a conciliation process initiated under Article 28 (6). For any dispute arising from this Convention, the United States does not recognize or accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice."

 

 

NOTES

1. At the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention, held in Bonn, Germany, from 11 to 22 December 2000, the Regional Implementation Annex for Central and Eastern Europe to the above Convention (Annex V) was adopted by decision 7/COP.4 of 22 December 2000 (12th Plenary meeting).

None of the Parties having submitted a notification in accordance with the provisions of article 31 (3) (a) or a declaration in accordance with the provisions of article 31 (3) (b) of the Convention, the adoption of annex V became effective for all Parties to the Convention on the expiry of six months from the date of its notification ( 6 March 2001) in accordance with paragraph 3 of article 31, i.e. on 6 September 2001.

2. Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 49 (A/47/49) (Vol.I), p. 137.

3. For the Kingdom in Europe.

4. With a declaration to the effect that "consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account its commitment to the development of self-governemnt through an act of sef-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the Depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory."

5. For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , the British Virgin Islands, St. Helena and Ascension Island. Subsequently, on 24 December 1996, the Government of the United Kingdom notified the Secretary-General that the Convention would apply to Montserrat.