France, May 28-29, 2026
The Sahara and Sahel Observatory participated in the plenary meeting of the French Scientific Committee on Desertification (CSFD), held in collaboration with its partners and with the presence of scientific and technical institutions, as well as Organizations actively engaged in combating desertification and supporting the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
During the session dedicated to the progress of the UNCCD reporting process through the Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS), the OSS presented its experience in supporting the 2026 national reporting exercise in its capacity as a UNCCD-accredited Technical Assistance Facility.
The presentation highlighted the main challenges faced by the countries, the lessons learned from ongoing reporting efforts, and the technical assistance mechanisms developed to support Member States. It covered several key aspects, including the role of regional support centers in the reporting process, technical assistance provided to countries for data preparation and PRAIS implementation, participatory approaches designed to strengthen national ownership, technical, human and institutional challenges associated with reporting, and the tools and resources developed by the OSS to support reporting on SDG Indicator 15.3.1 and monitor progress towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
The OSS also showcased a range of technical and methodological resources made available to countries, including 30-metre resolution datasets, mechanisms for collecting and capitalizing on lessons learned, as well as capacity-building and continuous technical support arrangements. Discussions generated strong interest among the participants, who welcomed the OSS contribution and the collaboration opportunities proposed, particularly regarding the organization of regular exchanges on lessons learned, support for stakeholder consultation workshops, and the sharing of tools, data and experiences among partner institutions.