What's being done.

• Position: Desertification remedies

Africa:

Algeria has carried out research on desertification trends using satellite imagery, has held a national awareness workshop and plans to develop Government/non-government organization (NGO) partnerships.

Botswana's National Action Programme will culminate in a national forum process to discuss arrangements for its implementation.

Denmark and Burkina Faso have undertaken a joint Burkinabe Sahel project to promote grass-roots development in support of food security and environmental restoration at the local level. Burundi has coordinated the implementation of the conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification into a national strategy. Cameroon's national activities include the organization of national awareness days and the drafting of a national environment plan.

In Egypt, projects related to the Convention, including better water harvesting and irrigation techniques, are planned to increase its inhabited area from 5 to 25 per cent.

Ethiopia's activities include a national workshop on awareness creation, a review of policies and strategies by the Environmental Protection Authority and a student campaign to plant millions of trees.

Mali is establishing a National Desertification Fund. Mauritania brought together 15 African local points in a workshop to exchange lessons learned. Niger's activities include holding workshops, establishing regional structures and an environmental fund and the adoption of a national plan on the environment Togo has launched a national information programme.

Morocco is setting up a National Action Programme and partnerships between the State and groups of villages. The Gambia has conducted public awareness campaigns, and revised national forest policy to enable community forest management. Ghana has established a national committee on desertification and held sensitization workshops and awareness seminars.

Senegal has created a National Environmental Fund, a desertification information system on the Internet and an advisory think-tank to monitor progress. Kenya is preparing a National Action Programme and establishing a National Desertification Fund. South Africa is creating a capacity to plan and monitor its National Action Programme. Uganda is carrying out activities to raise awareness and developing its National Desertification Fund. Zambia has...