GENERAL ASSEMBLY, APRIL 23, 2025 - 7th Session of the OSS General Assembly, April 23, 2025, Tunis

The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) held its 7^th General Assembly in Tunis, attended by member countries and representatives of regional and international institutions. High-level figures took part in this meeting, emphasizing its importance in addressing the continent's environmental challenges.

The General Assembly began with the official opening and speeches of Mr. Nabil Ben Khatra, Executive Secretary of the OSS, H.E. Mr. Alaa Farouk Zaki Al-Sayed, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of Egypt and President of the OSS, H.E. Mr. Habib Abid, Minister of the Environment of Tunisia, host country and H.E Mr. Mohammed Faraj Alsayd Qineedi, Libyan Vice-Minister of Water Resources. Their interventions recognized the strategic role of the OSS in the region and reaffirmed the political commitment of member States to strengthen regional cooperation serving the environment and sustainable development.

A General Assembly: A Review of the achievements and Strategic Guidance
The Assembly's works made it possible to:

• Validate the activity and financial reports: Members praised the quality of the OSS achievements in 2020-2024, marked by a ramp-up of field-projects, a diversification of the partnerships, and rigorous management of the resources.
• Assess the progress of ongoing programs: Significant progress has been made in regional initiatives, particularly on sustainable land management, access to water, climate resilience, and knowledge production. Member States emphasized the importance of building on these achievements through strengthened monitoring-evaluation mechanisms. 
• Define future strategic pathways: The General Assembly emphasized the need to expand the OSS influence by integrating emerging issues such as the energy transition, climate governance, green innovation, and the mobilization of youth and women in sustainable development processes.
• Designate the new Executive Board and Bureau members, which will support the Executive Secretariat in fulfilling its missions for the 2025-2029 period.

Ambitious prospects for the OSS and for Africa
The presentations by member country representatives and the discussions provided clear guidance for the years to come. The OSS was called upon to maintain its role in serving African countries and to strengthen it to face climate, environmental, and socio-economic challenges, namely through:

• Strengthening its role as a platform for expertise and dialogue,
• Supporting its member States in implementing their environmental commitments,
• Actively contributing to the resilience of African territories, particularly in arid and vulnerable areas.

New Composition of the OSS Executive Board, Rapporteur, and Bureau
The 7^th session of the General Assembly approved the new composition of the OSS Executive Board, Rapporteur, and Bureau, as follows:

The Executive Board:

• Chair: Egypt
• Cen-Sad area: Djibouti and Sudan
• CILSS area: Benin and Niger
• IGAD Region: Kenya and Uganda
• Arab Maghreb Union area: Morocco and Mauritania
• LCBC: Chad and CAR
• African Country, Non-Member of a Sub-Regional Organization: Egypt
• Civil Society Organizations: ENDA and CARI
• A Permanent Seat to the Host Country: Tunisia
• Northern/Non-African Countries: Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Switzerland
• Members Representing Sub-Regional Organizations: PAAGGW, LCBC, CEN-SAD, CILSS, IGAD, UMA
• Members Representing International Organizations: UNCCD

The Bureau of the Executive Board:

• Egypt: Chair
• Members: Benin, France, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Uganda, Chad, and OSS/ES
• Host country: Tunisia
• Rapporteur: Djibouti

The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) engages in a new phase of endeavor under the renewed presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt, reaffirming the country's unfailing commitment to environmental and sustainable development issues in the Sahel-Saharan region. Furthermore, Mr. Nabil Ben Khatra has officially taken office as Executive Secretary of the OSS for a four-year term, following the resolution adopted at the 30^th session of the Organization Executive Board, held in Nouakchott in 2024. This new institutional dynamic marks an important turning point in the implementation of the OSS missions, particularly in the areas of sustainable management of natural resources, adaptation to climate change, and strengthening regional cooperation.

Following the 7^th session of the General Assembly, the OSS held the 32^nd session of its Executive Board, which brought together the newly appointed members.