The Sahara and Sahel Observatory has been elected to the Regional Coordination Team of AfriOCAT, the African network associated with the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT), in recognition of its leading role in sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, and the development of environmental information systems for African countries.
Following the election process held among network members, the OSS was elected as a specialized technical agency, alongside the Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC) of Ethiopia, which was elected as a research institution. Both Organizations join AUDA-NEPAD, the already designated continental body, to form the AfriOCAT Regional Coordination Team for the coming years.
The OSS will contribute to strengthening regional coordination within the network, promoting sustainable land management approaches and technologies, and facilitating the sharing of knowledge and best practices across the continent. It will also leverage its expertise in monitoring land degradation, ecosystem restoration, early warning systems, and decision-support tools to promote the network's objectives. This contribution builds upon the OSS's ongoing work with its member States and partners.
AfriOCAT aims to strengthen cooperation among African institutions, improve the dissemination of technical and scientific knowledge, and support States in implementing solutions tailored to the challenges of land degradation, climate change, and territorial resilience.
A first meeting of the Coordination Team shall take place in the coming weeks to identify the priorities and come up with an action plan for implementing the network's activities.