Desertif'actions 2026 opened today in Djerba against a global landscape marked by a deepening of climate, environmental and socio-economic crises, bringing together decision-makers, experts, international institutions, researchers and field actors around a shared objective: addressing land degradation and drought.
From the opening remarks, the Governor of Médenine, Mr. Walid Tabboubi, established the tenor for the discussion by underscoring the importance of localised responses and collective action in addressing the challenges faced by these regions. This commitment was reiterated by Mr. Habib Abid, Tunisia's Minister of Environment, in the opening address delivered by Ms. Awatef Messai, Acting Director General of the Directorate General for Environment and Quality of Life. Ms. Messai emphasised the importance of strengthening international cooperation and translating commitments into concrete actions.
Furthermore, Mr. Chedli Abdelli, Director General of the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research and representative of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, emphasised the pivotal role of research, training and innovation in enhancing our comprehension of degradation dynamics and facilitating the implementation of tailored solutions aligned with national and regional contexts.
Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Haloui, Director General of the Tunisian National Tourism Office, emphasised the importance of environmental sustainability in tourism activities. He highlighted that in a region like Djerba, preserving natural resources is crucial for maintaining its attractiveness, underscoring the need for responsible investments that focus on resilience.
Mr Nabil Ben Khatra, Executive Secretary of the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, emphasised the importance of informed decision-making, highlighting the pivotal roles of knowledge, field experience, and decision-support tools. He underscored the necessity of collaborative solution-building with local stakeholders, emphasising the importance of territorial-scale design.
Patrice Burger, President of the Centre for International Action and Achievements (CARI), reiterated the initiative's genesis in civil society, emphasising the existence of viable solutions on the ground that must be recognised, disseminated and emulated.
This local anchoring was reiterated in messages conveyed remotely. Ms. Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), has highlighted these challenges on a global scale, emphasising the urgent need to accelerate the implementation of commitments. Ms. Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Climate and Nature Negotiations of France and former Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, emphasised the critical importance of scaling up financing and political commitment, while Dr. Osama Fqeeha, Advisor to the Presidency of COP17, underscored the significance of this milestone as a pivotal opportunity to translate commitments into tangible outcomes.
Moreover, partners emphasised the necessity to break down silos. Mr Kalifa Traoré, Director of the Institute of Rural Economy and Chair of the Board of CORAF, drew attention to the importance of agricultural innovation and local knowledge as drivers of resilience. Mr Claude Gascon, Acting Director of Strategy and Operations at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), called for stronger links between territorial needs and existing financing mechanisms.
In conclusion, The Director General of CARI, Mr. Christophe Brosse, presented a programme built around co-construction, aligned with the perspective of COP17. He called for active participation to generate concrete and operational solutions.
This inaugural day establishes the foundation for an open dialogue, where the convergence of perspectives and experiences becomes essential to building responses that are commensurate with the challenges.