June 17, 2026, Tunsie.
On the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, celebrated on 17 June 2026 under the auspices of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, organized a national workshop in Tunis dedicated to combating land degradation in Tunisia. The event brought together a wide range of institutional, scientific, technical and development stakeholders committed to sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration and strengthening the resilience of territories.
The workshop opened with remarks by Ms. Awatef Messai, Acting Director General of the Directorate General for Environment and Quality of Life (DGEQV). She emphasized that land degradation remains one of the major environmental challenges facing many countries. She also reaffirmed Tunisia’s continued commitment to the sustainable management of natural resources, promoting integrated approaches that reconcile economic development, environmental protection and the resilience of local communities.
Taking the floor, Mr. Nabil Hamada, Director at OSS, highlighted the importance of the theme “Rangelands Reimagined: Recognize. Respect. Restore.”, selected for the celebration of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. He further stressed that combating land degradation requires strengthened institutional coordination, reliable data and sustained investment. He reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to continuing its support to Tunisia in its national efforts towards sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and the achievement of the objectives of the UNCCD.
Bringing together representatives of ministries, research and higher education institutions, civil society organizations, professional actors, technical and financial partners, as well as national experts, the workshop provided a valuable platform for dialogue and consultation. It fostered the exchange of experiences, the formulation of priority recommendations and the identification of action perspectives to strengthen sustainable land management in Tunisia.
As part of Tunisia’s commitments to Sustainable Land Management (SLM), Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and reporting through the UNCCD PRAIS platform, the workshop sought to strengthen dialogue and coordination among stakeholders. Discussions focused on recent developments within the Convention, national experiences and the formulation of recommendations to reinforce restoration efforts and enhance the resilience of territories.
Participants notably examined the implications for Tunisia of recent UNCCD decisions, particularly Decision 19 of COP16 concerning halting, reducing and reversing the degradation of agricultural lands, rangelands and soils. Discussions also addressed the monitoring of Convention indicators through the PRAIS platform, as well as needs related to data, tools and capacities.
Technical presentations highlighted Tunisian experiences in sustainable land and oasis management, as well as socio-ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation approaches. The recommendations formulated during the workshop will contribute to strengthening the implementation of Tunisia’s commitments under the UNCCD and promoting more resilient territories in the face of environmental and climate challenges.