On Friday morning, 18 February, CST S-2 delegates addressed: development and implementation of impact indicators related to the measurement of strategic objectives 1, 2 and 3 of the Strategy; a pilot tracking exercise, as part of the refinement of impact indicators; streamlining cooperation with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on impact indicators; and information on regional scientific initiatives. The Contact Group met in the afternoon to finalize a revised draft report. Delegates reconvened in an evening closing plenary and adopted the CST S-2 report. Chair Kellner gaveled the meeting to a close at 7:02 pm.

A number of additional activities took place throughout the day. UNCCD national focal points continued to meet in their Regional Implementation Annexes, to prepare for the meeting of the CRIC during the following week. A mid-day side event discussed “Knowledge management in the context of the UNCCD,” organized by the UNCCD Secretariat. Participants in this side event heard presentations from: Patrick Breard (consultant) on developing a needs assessment; Leopoldo Rojo (Spain) on a Spanish inventory of technologies to combat desertification; and Eva Duer (UNEP) on the InforMEA web portal, which will be launched next week. An evening side event discussed the outcome of a conference on “Climate, Sustainability and Development in Drylands,” organized by the Government of the State of Ceara, Brazil, and the Center for Management and Strategic Studies, Brazil.

In addition, outside the World Conference Center, a meeting of experts convened all day long to discuss the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative and Lake Chad, convened by the UNCCD and the GEF. These consultations will feed into a Ministerial-level meeting on Saturday, 19 February.