Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP11)
“A stronger UNCCD for a Land-Degradation Neutral World”

Delegates in Windhoek, Namibia, began consideration of the UNCCD COP 11 agenda on Tuesday morning, convening in three contact groups during the day. The Committee of the Whole (COW) and the Committee on Science and Technology (CST) began their deliberations in the morning while the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) met in the afternoon.

The COW plenary opened with a brief exchange of views following an objection raised by the Latin America and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) to the UN Secretary General’s appointment of Monique Barbut as the new UNCCD Executive Secretary. After delegates agreed to refer this issue to the UNCCD Bureau, the COW commenced its consideration of the Intersessional Working Group (IWG) report on the independent mid-term review of the Convention’s 10-year Strategy, and governance and institutional arrangements of the Global Mechanism.

During its opening session in the morning, the CST considered: a proposal to revise and update the roster of independent experts; recommendations from the Ad Hoc Working Group to further discuss the options for the provision of Scientific Advice (AGSA); continuing discussions on the AGSA proposal; and the progress report of the UNCCD Fellowship Programme. In the evening, a CST contact group met to discuss measures to enable the UNCCD to become a global authority on scientific and technical knowledge pertaining to desertification, land degradation and the mitigation of the effects of drought.

Meeting in the afternoon, the CRIC began consideration of the CRIC Report and the multi-year workplans of the Convention’s institutions and subsidiary bodies.

Seven COP 11 side events took place during the day on: sustainable land management (SLM) and livelihoods; outcomes of the Changwon Initiative and its role for a stronger Convention; civil society organizations and sustainable land management and food production; Brazilian experiences in the implementation of the Convention; Atelier francophone préparatoire à la CdP 11; and the launch of a networking process of international scientific bodies on research on land degradation and desertification.

Taking place in conjunction with COP 11, The Rio Conventions Pavilion convened on Tuesday morning for Indigenous and Local Community Sustainable Land Managers Day, hosted by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Equator Initiative. Sessions addressed: sustainable use of water in Sub-Saharan Africa; beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); engaging with extractive industries; best practices for SLM and the strengthening of alternative livelihoods; and knowledge exchange for capacity building.

In the evening a reception was hosted by the World Indigenous Network (WIN), during which the Equator Initiative launched a book titled “SLM: Learning from Indigenous and Local Communities.”