Informing the Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG)

Tags: Financial Information Engine on Land Degradation (FIELD)

The GM was invited to provide inputs to the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG), held on Saturday 17 March during CRIC.5.

The Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG) was established by the Conference of the Parties at its seventh session (COP.7) to “improve the procedures for communication of information, as well as the quality and format of reports on the implementation of the Convention” (Decision 8/COP.7).

The Group debated the linkages between the Inter-sessional Inter-governmental Working Group (IIWG) and the AHWG, including the points to take into consideration with regard to the expected outcomes of the AHWG which would feedback into the IIWG discussions, and vice versa.

The Chair of the CRIC highlighted the importance of and expectations arising from the AHWG’s work to identify targets and indicators that would allow the UNCCD to monitor and review progress at national, regional and global levels. Given the future implications of budget support processes, whereby developed country Parties will not report on the specific final use of the funds – since this will depend on national allocation processes and priorities - Germany cautioned against raising expectations in terms of compliance with reporting guidelines.

As an advisor to the AHWG, the GM recalled that it will provide information and advice, particularly in relation to reporting on mobilization and channelling of financial resources for Convention implementation. In its statement under item 7 on 14 March, the GM had referred to some technical issues and discrepancies observed between reports of developed and developing countries in terms of financial information.

This statement had also indicated that GM welcomes initiatives to improve reporting guidelines and that it stands ready to collaborate fully with the AHWG and to provide all the information, comments and advice requested, to the best of its capacity.

The GM informed the group that it had submitted additional input to the CCDSEC, which includes a brief account of technical issues encountered with regard to information on financial resources mobilized and makes reference to AHWG member proposals to improve reporting by capitalizing on existing indicators and methodologies such as the Rio Markers.

Lastly, the GM suggested building on reporting indicators, methodologies and approaches already developed, pilot-tested and implemented by a number of countries and organizations. In the ensuing discussion, several AHWG members echoed the GM’s advice, highlighting the need to capitalize on existing reporting procedures and indicators, explore synergies with other Conventions, and seek harmonization and simplification of reporting guidelines rather than setting up a new reporting process.

It was further clarified that the involvement of the GM in the AHWG was to contribute to the improvement of the procedures for communication of information (the so called “Help Guides”), which have been adopted by the COP inter-alia to ensure that the CST and the GM have access to the information and data necessary to carry out their mandates” (Decision 11/COP.1).

The meeting developed an annotated outline of the AHWG report, building on the note prepared by the UNCCD Secretariat summarizing the submissions by AHWG members.

In order for the AHWG members to take full advantage of the CRIC, the AHWG will meet again briefly on 20 March - new developments will be posted here.

Read more about the GM's input to the AHWG (PDF, English, 433 KB)