Environment and Energy

Our History

UNDP's Drylands Development Centre formerly the Office to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNSO) originated in 1973 as the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office". It was created in response to the severe effects of recurrent droughts in the Sahel, and became widely known by its acronym, UNSO. For many years, UNSO delivered a range of drought relief and development services in the Sahel under the management of UNDP. It was originally based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, but later transferred its headquarters to UNDP in New York.

In 1991-92 UNSO assisted countries under its jurisdiction in the Sudano-Sahelian region to prepare for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). As a follow-up to the agreements reached at the Earth Summit (UNCED) the United Nations General Assembly established the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee (INCD) to negotiate a legally binding agreement to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. During the negotiation process UNSO provided substantive technical support to the INCD and other partners. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was adopted in 1994; and UNSO was called upon to provide support to affected countries under the "Urgent Action for Africa", a Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly to speed up the implementation of the new Convention. In 1995, UNSO took on a global mandate and began to branch out from sub-Saharan Africa to all parts of the world affected by desertification and drought. At that time it changed its name to UNDP's Office to Combat Desertification and Drought, but retained the acronym UNSO.

The CCD entered into force on 26 December 1996. UNSO became its advocate and assisted countries in the formulation of national and sub - regional action programmes. Since 1995, UNSO (now the Drylands Development Centre) has supported 29 countries in Africa, 22 in Asia and 19 in Latin America and the Caribbean to develop national and sub - regional action plans to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.

In June 2001, the Administrator of UNDP relocated UNSO from New York to Nairobi with the objectives of bringing services closer to programme countries. UNDP further strengthened its capacity to support drylands development by establishing a new Drylands Development Centre in Nairobi, Kenya that incorporated the staff and experience of UNSO. The Drylands Development Centre continues to provide global support for drylands development worldwide.

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
1973 : The United Nations Sahelian Office (UNSO) is created by the United Nations Secretary General to address the problems of drought in the Sahelian countries following the West African Sahel drought of 1968-73. UNSO's first mandate: Building of infrastructure to access disaster areas.

1976 : UNSO was transferred from the Office of the Under Secretary General for Political and General Assembly Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The UN Secretary General delegated full responsibility to the Administrator of UNDP for the administration, control and operation of the United Nations Trust Fund for Sudano-Sahelian Activities and UNSO.

1977: World Conference on Desertification is held in Nairobi. The Conference adopts the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification in the Sudano Sahelian region.

1978: UNEP and UNDP adopt decisions 6/11B and 25/10 respectively that recommends a role for UNSO in the implementation of the Action Plan. Accordingly the UN General Assembly by its resolution 33/88 designates UNSO as the coordinating arm of United Nations efforts to assist on behalf of UNEP in the implementation of the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification in the countries of the Sudano-Sahelian zone - UNSO's work focus shifts from relief to local level natural resources management activities.

1979: UNDP - UNEP Joint Venture Support through UNSO is signed.

1989: The UN General Assembly adopts Resolution 44/172: The Plan to Combat Desertification and Drought - Implementation of the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification. Urges Governments, in particular those of developed countries, United Nations Organizations and other intergovernmental bodies to increase and intensify their efforts to combat desertification and accord highest priority to the recommendations contained in the plan of action.

1991-92: UNSO assists countries under its jurisdiction in the preparations for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) at national, regional and international levels - and provides strategic, technical and financial support.

1992: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are adopted in Rio. Desertification Convention in principle is agreed upon in Chapter 12 of Agenda 21. UNSO plays a major role during negotiations in facilitating the recognition of desertification and drought as universal issues to be incorporated in Agenda 21. UNSO's work in supporting desertification control activities is recognized by UNCED in Agenda 21, which recommends that UNSO's experience be made available to all countries affected by desertification and drought.

1993: The UN General Assembly creates an Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee (INCD) to elaborate (by June 1994) a legally binding instrument to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. UNSO provides substantial technical support to the INCD.

1994: The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is adopted as a legal framework for action to combat desertification, making it the first legally binding agreement negotiated in direct response to Agenda 21.

1994 : UNDP Administrator changes the name of UNSO to UNDP Office to Combat Desertification and Drought while maintaining the acronym UNSO. UNSO becomes the central unit within the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) spearheading the organization's efforts in drylands management, desertification control and drought preparedness and mitigation

1994 : UN General Assembly adopts Resolution 41/188, calling for Urgent Action for Africa (UAA). October 1994: UNDP/UNSO launches a campaign to mobilize resources. A total of US$3.6 million mobilized and channelled to support the launching of NAP and SRAP processes in African countries.

1994 : United Nations General Assembly establishes the 17 of June as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought to promote public awareness on desertification issues. The first world Day is observed in June 1995.

1995: UNDP Administrator creates UNDP Trust Fund to Combat Desertification and Drought managed by UNSO to complement core resources with a view of enhancing UNDP's support to the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

1995: UNDP Administrator expands UNSO's mandate to a global scope, covering the entire Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. UNSO's work is directed towards providing support to all affected countries in the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD). In this context UNSO's support gears to assisting affected countries in developing national and sub-regional action programmes (NAP/SRAP), the main instruments for the implementation of the Convention.

1995: UNSO, in collaboration with OECD, and Club du Sahel hosts an informal meeting to exchange information among organizations supporting the implementation of Resolution UAA within the context of the Convention; to develop a better idea of what might be done to support the implementation of the CCD.

1996 : The CCD enters into force. 50 Countries have ratified the Convention.

1997: First Conference of Parties (COP) is held in Rome, Italy, 108 Countries have ratified the CCD.

1997: The first Conference of the Parties adapted decision 24/COPI that designated IFAD as host of the Global Mechanism (GM), and requested UNDP, the World Band and IFAD to establish a Facilitation Committee to support the work of the Global Mechanism.

1998: UNSO celebrates 25 years in Desertification Control and Drylands Management. The Second Conference of Parties is held in Dakar, Senegal, 144 countries have ratified the Convention

1999: The Third Conference of Parties is held in Recife, Brazil, 150 countries have ratified the Convention.

2000 : The Fourth Conference of Parties is held in Bonn, Germany, 170 countries have ratified the Convention. The COP establishes an Ad hoc Working Group to review and analyze in depth individual country reports submitted by parties on the implementation of the Convention at national and sub-regional levels. The immediate objective is to draw conclusions and to recommend concrete measures to party countries including further steps for facilitating the implementation of the Convention.

2001 : The Fifth Conference of Parties is held in Geneva, Switzerland, 172 countries have ratified the Convention. The COP establishes the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC); first session of CRIC scheduled for November 2002.

2002: UNDP establishes a new Drylands Development Centre that incorporates the work of former UNSO to lead its work in supporting long-term development in the drylands. The Centre launches a new Integrated Drylands Development Programme that is being piloted in 19 countries in Africa, the Arab States and West Asia.