At its Twentieth Anniversary, IFAD receives a new mission from the International Community.

The Convention envisions GM as a multi-source and multi-channel instrument for finance, rather than a centralized financial mechanism. From this perspective, GM should be conceived as the hub of a network of partners involved in the process of mobilizing and channelling resources for implementation of CCD. Partnership is one of the most important features of the Convention, and this spirit runs throughout its provisions, particularly those concerning the financing of the Convention’s implementation. This principle is indeed one of the great strengths of GM and the Convention itself. For the Convention recognizes that the mobilization and channelling of significant amounts of financial resources are central to its success. This is not, however, perceived in the conventional form of aid but rather in terms of a partnership arrangement. The establishment of GM, as a response to the need for enhanced financing for poverty alleviation and desertification, should be seen within the same context.

With the Global Mechanism, IFAD shall form a hub of a network of partners to mobilize resources for poverty alleviation and the conservation of the environment.

Through the partnerships it will foster, the Mechanism will ensure a greater role for domestic resources and private-sector initiatives, and will allow a blending of grants, concessional and other types of external finance. The diversity of flows and the multi-faceted coalition which GM will foster will in the end make the actions that the Convention triggers - as well as the Convention itself - more robust and sustainable. In brief, to achieve its objectives, the Mechanism must be a catalyst, an innovator and an effective promoter of financial opportunities for sustainable dryland development.

In addition to selecting IFAD to house the Global Mechanism, COP endorsed collaborative institutional arrangements between IFAD, UNDP and the World Bank in support of the Mechanism. These arrangements will be an essential ingredient in meeting the Global Mechanism’ s objectives. IFAD has already initiated a number of actions to put these arrangements in place.

The Global Mechanism responds to the Convention's call for significant amounts of resources to make the Convention succeed and avoid the fate of its predecessor — the United Nations Conference on Desertification, of the late 1970s.

The Conference also invited the active support to GM from other relevant institutions, programmes and bodies of the United Nations, particularly FAO, GEF, UNEP, WFP, regional development banks and regional and subregional organizations, as well as interested NGOs and the private sector.

Such cooperation is already taking place. A database on best practices for land conservation is being established jointly with UNEP. Using the resources of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), IFAD is developing a pipeline of investment projects in the drylands to be cofinanced with GEF. A special agreement has been signed between IFAD and FAO. At the field level, GM will rely on the offices of the United Nations Resident Coordinator as well as FAO's field services.

IFAD, UNDP and the World Bank, with IFAD as the lead agency, will put in place collaborative arrangements in support of the Global Mechanism.

The international community, in entrusting IFAD with this enormous challenge, demonstrates firm confidence in the Fund's ability to build those solid partnerships and firm commitments necessary to ensure that financial, human and technical resources are channelled sensibly and effectively in the fight against desertification and poverty.