Welcomes the fact that the Convention will enter into force on 26 Dec. 1996; urges 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, at its 10th session, to be held in New York from 6-17 Jan. 1997, to aim at finalizing all the outstanding negotiating issues, including the negotiations of the 2 working groups and the plan for the preparatory work for the 1st session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention; decides that the 1st session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention shall be held from 29 Sept.-10 Oct. 1997; decides to include the 1st session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and the meetings of its subsidiary bodies in the calendar of conferences and meetings for 1997-1998.

Adopted without vote, 86th meeting

4 p.

Adopted at the 86th plenary meeting, 16 Dec. 1996.