Many relevant NGOs attend inter-governmental meetings as observers in order to interact with delegates and the press and provide information. NGO's must be non-profit and can include environmental groups, research institutions and business groups. They are issued informally to facilitate negotiations. They do not have an official document symbol although they may have an identifying number or the name of the authors. The Organization of African Unity was established in 1963 to promote self-government, respect for territorial boundaries, and social progress throughout the African Continent.
Membership is open to all independent African countries.
Plenary - An open meeting of the entire Conference of the Parties where all formal decisions are taken. Ratification - After signing a treaty, a country must ratify it, often with the approval of its parliament or other legislature. Such process implies not only an expression of interest as indicated by the signature, but the transformation of the treaty s principles and obligations into national law. The instrument of ratification must be deposited with the Depositary which, in the case of the CCD, is the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The country will become a Party of the Convention by the completion of a period of 90 days after the deposit of the instrument of ratification.