A/RES/55/204 Eastern Europe, 3 and invites the Conference of the Parties to consider adopting it at its fourth session; 4. Stresses the importance of a coherent and timely implementation of the provisions of the Convention at all levels, including the general provisions and obligations of all States parties, in accordance with the provisions of part II of the Convention; 5. Notes with satisfaction the steps being taken by affected developing country parties to the Convention, with the assistance of international organizations and bilateral development partners, to implement the Convention, and the efforts being made to promote the participation of all actors of society in the elaboration of national action programmes to combat desertification, and in this regard encourages countries to cooperate at the subregional and regional levels, as appropriate; 6. Welcomes the strengthened cooperation between the secretariat of the Convention and the Global Mechanism, and encourages further efforts in this regard for the effective implementation of the Convention; 7. Also welcomes the financial support already provided on a voluntary basis by some countries, and urges Governments, the private sector and all relevant organizations, including non-governmental organizations, to make or continue to make voluntary contributions to the Global Mechanism to enable it to implement its mandate effectively and fully; 8. Calls upon the Global Environment Facility to continue to enhance, within its mandate, its ongoing support for land degradation activities in developing countries; 9. Welcomes the decision of the Council of the Global Environment Facility, at its meeting held from 1 to 3 November 2000, to request the Chief Executive Officer to explore the best options for enhancing the support of the Facility in assisting affected countries, especially those in Africa, in implementing the Convention, taking into account the third replenishment; 4 10. Calls upon the Global Environment Facility and its implementing agencies to strengthen their cooperation with the Global Mechanism and the secretariat of the Convention; 11. Encourages the parties to the Convention to provide the necessary support to the secretariat so as to enable it to discharge effectively its responsibilities to the Convention; 12. Welcomes decision 2000/23 of 29 September 2000 of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme aimed at developing cooperation between the secretariat of the Convention and the United Nations Development Programme in order to mainstream activities to combat desertification at the national, subregional and regional levels; 5 13. Urges all parties to the Convention that have not yet done so to pay promptly and in full their contributions to the core budget of the Convention so as to ensure continuity in the cash flow required to finance the ongoing work of the 3 ICCD/COP(3)/16, annex. See ICCD/COP(4)/11/Add.1, decision 9/COP.4, para. 2. 5 See DP/2001/1, para. 231. 4 2