                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
  CHAPTER 23--EXTENSION OF CERTAIN TRADE BENEFITS TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
 
           SUBCHAPTER III--ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATED ISSUES
 
Sec. 3741. Sense of the Congress regarding efforts to combat 
        desertification in Africa and other countries
        

(a) Findings

    The Congress finds that--
        (1) desertification affects approximately one-sixth of the 
    world's population and one-quarter of the total land area;
        (2) over 1,000,000 hectares of Africa are affected by 
    desertification;
        (3) dryland degradation is an underlying cause of recurrent 
    famine in Africa;
        (4) the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that 
    desertification costs the world $42,000,000,000 a year, not 
    including incalculable costs in human suffering; and
        (5) the United States can strengthen its partnerships throughout 
    Africa and other countries affected by desertification, help 
    alleviate social and economic crises caused by misuse of natural 
    resources, and reduce dependence on foreign aid, by taking a leading 
    role to combat desertification.

(b) Sense of the Congress

    It is the sense of the Congress that the United States should 
expeditiously work with the international community, particularly Africa 
and other countries affected by desertification, to--
        (1) strengthen international cooperation to combat 
    desertification;
        (2) promote the development of national and regional strategies 
    to address desertification and increase public awareness of this 
    serious problem and its effects;
        (3) develop and implement national action programs that identify 
    the causes of desertification and measures to address it; and
        (4) recognize the essential role of local governments and 
    nongovernmental organizations in developing and implementing 
    measures to address desertification.

(Pub. L. 106-200, title I, Sec. 131, May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 274.)
