A UNITED NATIONS General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/RES/52/198 2 March 1998 Fifty-second session Agenda item 98 (b) RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY [on the report of the Second Committee (A/52/629/Add.2)] 52/198. I m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s C o n v e n t i o n t o C o m b a t Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 47/188 of 22 December 1992, 48/191 of 21 December 1993, 49/234 of 23 December 1994, 50/112 of 20 December 1995, 51/180 of 16 December 1996 and 51/238 of 17 June 1997, Noting with satisfaction that a large number of States have ratified the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa,1 and calling upon other States to take appropriate action to that end, Noting that, in accordance with paragraphs 4 and 5 of its resolution 51/180, the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention was held at Rome from 29 September to 10 October 1997 and that it was attended by one hundred and two parties and by a large number of observers from Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, Expressing its deep appreciation to the Government of Italy for the generous manner in which it hosted the first session of the Conference of the Parties and to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for the facilities it provided, Recognizing the contribution to the convention process of the interim secretariat of the Convention, within the framework of the former Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the Secretariat, as well as the support provided to the interim secretariat by all bilateral and multilateral contributors, including regional and non-governmental organizations, 1 A/49/84/Add.2, annex, appendix II. 98-76981 /...