Article 9 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change establishes an open-ended intergovernmental scientific advisory body known as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical Advice (SBSTA) to provide the Conference of the Parties (COP) and, as appropriate, to its other subsidiary bodies, with timely advice relating to the implementation of the Convention, SBSTA is to report regularly to the COP on all aspects of its work. Multidisciplinary and open to participation by all Parties, SBSTA comprises government representatives competent in the relevant field of expertise. Its functions include: providing assessments of the status of biological diversity; providing assessments of the types of measures taken in accordance with the provisions of the Convention; and responding to questions that the COP may put to the body.
At the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17), an agreement was reached to mandate SBSTA, at its May-June 2012 session, to consider issues related to agriculture with a view to preparing a Decision to be adopted at COP18 in November-December 2012 to be held in Qatar. Consequently, Parties and Observer Organizations were expected to make submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Secretariat on such issues relating to agriculture by 5 March 2012.
A visit to UNFCC website revealed that by the D date, seven African counties namely: Burundi, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia have made their national submission, Gambia made submission on behalf of least developed Countries (LDCs) with inputs from Malawi incorporating outcomes of the post Durban dialogue. Out of the seven that made national submission, five are COMESA countries. The other two had also participated in the COMESA-CCAFS, organized post-Durban dialogue meetings that took place in February 2012.
To assist parties in Eastern and Southern Africa , COMESA, in collaboration with Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS-EA), a global programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in February 2012 jointly organized two meetings, one in Arusha Tanzania, for East and Horn of Africa countries and another in Johannesburg, South Africa, for Southern Africa Countries with the view to assist countries in Eastern and Southern Africa come up with a working document that they could adopt for their national submission. It is not surprising therefore that all the seven countries that met the deadline had been represented.
In the case of Burundi, COMESA provided additional direct support, through a consultative workshop held in Bujumbura, Burundi on the 4th February 2012;which was attended by senior officers and delegates from The Ministry of Water, environment, territory management and urbanization, the Ministry of energy and mining, the Ministry of agriculture and livestock, and the Office of the President. This allowed Burundi finilise her submission on time. Dr Jean Marie Nibirantije, Minister of Water, environment, territory management and urbanization of the Republic of Burundi, officiated as the guest of honour to function.