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Nairobi moot

seeks to spur

action on

desertification

NAIROBI: The head of the UN Environment Programme on Friday pleaded for action to halt the spread of the desert despite predictions that an international convention to fight desertification would not be implemented until 1997.

"We have to take new steps," Elizabeth Dowdeswell told delegates from 90 countries at the closing session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a convention to Combat Desertification.

"We must stop speaking and talking and start acting. Controlling desertification needs a world wide effort at all levels. The convention has a vital international and national role ... in action at the local level."

But after a two-week conference to discuss implementing the 1994 convention, delegates said the pact was not likely to be ratified by the requisite 50 countries before early 1997. With the 50th parliamentary ratification, the agreement would take effect three months later.

While the convention was signed in October 1994 by 100 countries it has to date been ratified by only five - Cape Verde, Egypt, Mexico, The Netherlands and Senegal.

Nevertheless, Bo Kjellen of Sweden, chairman of the negotiating committee, told a press conference here Friday that the process of ratification was "on the way."-AFP