West & Central Africa Programme - Focusing on interventions that take the regions’ diverse needs into account

The overall objective of the programme is to establish an operational strategy that will lead to the flow of financial resources for implementing the UNCCD in the context of countries’ Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) and achieving the MDGs. [...] At sub-regional level, the GM works in partnership with two inter-governmental organizations: the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) with the supervision of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), to mainstream the UNCCD into the Convergence Plan the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control (CILSS), through which and in collaboration with the Economic Committee. [...] Special initiatives Desertification Profile Development for the Francophone Countries of the Sahel The overall objective of this initiative is to convince donors of the relevance of the Convention for achieving the MDGs and to upscale their financial support for UNCCD implementation in the Sahel, as a prerequisite for poverty alleviation. [...] The impacts of public and/or private investments on achievement of the MDGs - particularly MDG 1 - eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, and MDG 7 - ensuring environmental sustainability - will be analysed in each case and the findings drawn upon as the basis for action. [...] The GM women’s initiative, which is being piloted in the Sahel, aims to: set up a platform for the exchange of experiences with a view to fostering knowledge management on how women contribute to natural resource management and SLM mobilize women opinion leaders from the South and the North to raise awareness about women’s key roles in dryland areas and to give them more voice in decision-making p.