United Nations General Assembly A/RES/57/259 Distr.: General 27 February 2003 Fifty-seventh session Agenda item 87 (d) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Second Committee (A/57/532/Add.4)] 57/259. Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 56/196 of 21 December 2001 and other resolutions relating to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, 1 Expressing its deep appreciation to the Government of Italy for the organization of the first session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention in Rome, at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, from 11 to 22 November 2002, Taking into account the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development 2 and the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (“Johannesburg Plan of Implementation”), 3 Noting with interest the partnership initiatives voluntarily undertaken by some Governments, international organizations and major groups and announced at the Summit, Welcoming the outcomes of the Second Assembly of the Global Environment Facility, held in Beijing from 16 to 18 October 2002, particularly the decision on making land degradation, primarily desertification and deforestation, a new focal area of the Facility, Recognizing the strong commitment of the international community, demonstrated at the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Second Assembly of the Global Environment Facility, to make the Facility available as a _______________ 1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1954, No. 33480. Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 1, annex. 3 Ibid., resolution 2, annex. 2 02 55642