Strategic Partnership for Mobilizing Civil Society to Combat Land Degradation and Poverty in Southern Africa

This partnership seeks to link inter-governmental processes in Southern Africa with activities of the Non-governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations. The partners commit to prepare and implement, disseminate information about, and follow-up to, activities supporting the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification. In particular, the partnership is, on a long-term basis, focusing on activities following-up to the WSSD. The partnership will additionally provide a series of constructive input to the process of establishing the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).



Specifically, the partners will seek to engage in complementary activities, joint meetings, enhanced communication, information exchange and co-ordination, which will:

* Enhance the resources available for the implementation of the CCD;

* Promote desertification issues following-up to the Legislators'Conference and WSSD in 2002;

* Create awareness among politicians and legislators about the implementation of the CCD in SADC;

* Establish linkages between the three Conventions of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, 1992;

* Assist communities affected by land degradation and poverty in building capacity for resilience and improved livelihood; and

* Enhance capacity within the NGO community to assist in implementing the Sub-regional and National Action Plans of the CCD.