UNCCD 2026 Reporting: OSS Extends Its Support to English-Speaking African Countries

UNCCD 2026 Reporting: OSS Extends Its Support to English-Speaking African Countries

Following the regional webinar held on 28 October 2026 for French-speaking African countries, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), in collaboration with RCMRD and the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), continued its support for the 2026 reporting process by organizing a fourth regional webinar on 30 October 2026, targeting English-speaking African countries. This session provided an opportunity to further discuss national reporting requirements, challenges related to data collection and mobilization, and capacity-building needs to improve land degradation monitoring.

On this occasion, OSS presented the LDN Africa platform, its functionalities, and its geospatial analysis and artificial intelligence tools, which facilitate land degradation assessment and the monitoring of SDG indicator 15.3.1. Discussions also helped clarify the support needs of English-speaking countries, particularly regarding the effective use of the tools, interpretation of indicators, and improvement of data quality related to Strategic Objective 1 (SO-1).

The exchange of national experiences contributed to identifying priority technical assistance needs and further defining opportunities for using the LDN Africa platform in national reporting processes. This session thus builds on ongoing efforts to strengthen national capacities and facilitate the use of available data and analytical tools.

Through its continued support to both French-speaking and English-speaking African countries, OSS reaffirms its commitment to strengthening national capacities, fostering regional cooperation, and supporting the monitoring of progress towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).