INTRODUCTION

The70 NGOs from fifteen countries from three continents participating in the International Workshop Partners Against Desertification in the framework of the United Nations Convention for Combatting Desertification (CCD), meeting in Kairouan from 28 to 30 March 1996;

* Considering the necessity to make up for the absence of references to horizontal cooperation between NGOs in the framework of the (CCD);

* Considering the necessity to establish partnerships amongst NGOs for a participatory implementation of the Convention;

* Being aware of the importance of facilitating inter-NGO relationships and between NGOs and public institutions;

** Agree to the establishment of an INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP CHARTER against desertification betwenn signatory NGOs.

Article ONE:OBJECTIVES

The signatory NGOs of this Charter are committed to work towards the achievement of one or more of the following objectives:

* Listening on a permanent basis tand enhancing the attention paid to the concerns and needs of the populations concerned in order to set an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect on a sustainable basis;

* Awareness-raising among all actors about the necessity to combat directly or indirectly the causes and consequences of desertification in a spirit of partnership;

* Exchange of information and experience on the issue of desertification control;

* North-South and South-South concertation, cooperation and coordination in the undertaking of anti-desertification activities and in a sustainable development perspective;

* NGO capacity building towards activities for the achievement of the above objectives.

Article TWO:LEGAL STATUS

The Kairouan Charter is a formal agreement of a moral and non-compelling nature. It is meant to serve as a guiding framework for setting up more formal cooperation agreements between NGOs towards the implementation of the international Convention for Combatting Desertification.

Article THREE:SIGNATORY PARTIES

Can be party to the present Charter any NGO convinced of the clauses of the Charter and working in conformity with the objectives of the Convention at the local, national, sub-regional, regional, and international levels without distinction of origin, size, or means.

Article FOUR:SCOPE OF THE CHARTER

The present Charter covers all the fields of intervention stipulated in the text and annexes of the Convention, as well as any other domain contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Charter, within the limits of the means and capacities of signatory NGOs.

Article FIVE:ADDITIONS: MODIFICATION

The provisions of the present Charter can be modified on the basis of written requests from at least one third of signatory members to the trustee of the Charter.

Article SIX: TRUSTEE

The Association pour la Protection de la Nature et de l'Environnement de Kairouan (APNEK, Tunisia) is the trustee of the present Charter.

Kairouan, TUNISIA, 30 March 1996