By Gerald Tenywa in Nouakchott

THE UN has begun reawakening politicians in a bid to curtail the human practices that create land degradation of semi-arid areas, causing desertification.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has declared this year as one for creating awareness on deserts and desertification, dubbing it the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.

The UNEP information officer at the regional office for Africa, Angele Luh, said desertification affects about 70% of the global dry land areas.

She was speaking last week to environmental reporters from across Africa at a meeting convened by UNEP and the government of Mauritania on “poverty and environment: What role can the media play?’’

In Uganda, the districts of Karamoja, Rakai and Nakasongola are under threat of desertification and drought there is becoming more frequent and intense.

The World Environment Day commemorated on June 5 is one of the ways the UN stimulates worldwide awareness on the environment and enhances political attention and action.
The theme of the UN World Environment Day is “Deserts and Desertifi-cation’’ and the slogan is “Don’t desert dry lands.’’