Strengthening United Nations advisory role on drought, desertification and land resource management

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

Agenda 21 indicates that the role of the UN Sudano-Sahelian Office (UNSO), with added resources that may become available, operating under the umbrella of UNDP and with the support of UNEP, should be strengthened so that this body can assume an appropriate major advisory role and participate effectively in the implementation of Agenda 21 provisions related to combatting drought, desertification and land resource management. In this context, the experience gained could be used by all other countries affected by drought and desertification, in particular those in Africa, with special attention to countries most affected or classified as least-developed countries.