§ Mr. Galeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what participation his Department will have, in the coming year, in the United Nations environment programme.
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§ Mr. RaisonCo-ordination of British participation in the work of the United Nations environment programme is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office would expect to be represented on the British delegation to the governing council meeting in May and to participate in other UNEP activities throughout the year. In addition, through the aid programme, we support a wide range of projects and programmes designed to support the work of UNEP.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Department's current involvement with the United Nations environment programme human settlements (habitat) project.
§ Mr. RaisonThe United Kingdom is not a member of the United Nations centre for human settlements (habitat).
The majority of the projects initiated by that organisation are funded by the United Nations development programme to which we make a considerable contribution. We are in touch with the United Nations centre for human settlements on the British contribution to the international year of shelter for the homeless, 1987.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, when meeting his European Economic Community colleagues, he will encourage them now to lend, together with the United Kingdom, their full support to the desertification consultative group of the United Nations environment programme.
§ Mr. RaisonAt the meeting of the Governing Council of the United Nations environment programme in May the United Kingdom, in close consultation with our Community partners, was instrumental in promoting a decision on desertification which, among other things, sought to strengthen the role of the consultative group on desertification control. The issue is now under discussion in the United Nations General Assembly.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with the United Nations environment programme desertification project following the Sahelian conferences; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonFollowing the United Nations conference on desertification in 1977, a plan of action to combat desertification was established. Progress in implementing the plan was reviewed by the governing council of the United Nations environment programme in Nairobi in May this year. It was agreed that the plan needed more focus on the most affected countries and that priority should be given to areas offering the best chances for substantial rehabilitation. The governing council called upon affected countries to establish national programmes to combat desertification and urged donors to increase their avid to such countries. The subsequent meeting in Dakar in July, called by the President of Senegal, reaffirmed this. The matter is now under discussion in the Second Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.