The UN General Assembly, at its Fifty Eighth Session, declared 2006 the International Year of Deserts and Desertification (IYDD). The General Assembly invited governments and other partners to support the celebration of this year and to raise public awareness of the issue to protect the biological diversity and the indigenous and local communities affected by this phenomenon. The General Assembly designated the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification as the focal point of the Year, in conjunction with the UN Environment Programme, UN Development Programme, International Fund for Agricultural Development and other relevant UN bodies.  

date: 1 January 2006   location: worldwide   contact: UNCCD Secretariat   phone: 49-228-815-2802   fax: 49-228-815-2898   e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int   www: http://www.unccd.int/