Good news for Senegal at COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: Professor Cheikh Mbow, Director General of the Centre de Suivi Écologique (CSE), was elected on Monday, August 17, 2026, in Ulaanbaatar as Chair of the Science-Policy Interface (SPI) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), for a four-year term.
This election marks a new international recognition of Senegal’s scientific expertise in the field of sustainable land management.
The election took place during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UNCCD. Meeting in Ulaanbaatar, the Science-Policy Interface Committee, composed of experts tasked with bridging scientific knowledge and decision-making processes, officially entrusted Professor Cheikh Mbow with the leadership of this important Convention mechanism.
The SPI plays a key role in translating scientific knowledge and data into policy-relevant guidance for governments and decision-makers. It therefore helps strengthen the link between scientific research, public policies and actions on the ground to combat desertification, land degradation and drought.
The election of Professor Cheikh Mbow is in line with the decisions adopted at COP16 in Riyadh, which provide that, starting from COP17, future work programmes of the Science-Policy Interface will be established over a four-year period, corresponding to two intersessional periods.
As Chair of the SPI for this new period, the Senegalese scientist will notably be responsible for contributing to the coordination and strategic orientation of scientific work aimed at informing decisions and policies to combat land degradation, desertification and drought.
His mandate will also contribute to international efforts towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by promoting the effective use of scientific knowledge in the development and implementation of public policies.
The election represents international recognition not only of Professor Cheikh Mbow’s expertise, but also of Senegal’s expertise in environmental monitoring, sustainable natural resource management and the fight against desertification.
Through this responsibility, the expertise developed within the Centre de Suivi Écologique (CSE) will gain further visibility and recognition on the international stage.
It also highlights the importance attached to science and scientific data in developing sustainable responses to the challenges posed by land degradation, drought and climate change.
The appointment of Professor Cheikh Mbow as Chair of the SPI therefore opens a new chapter in which science will continue to play a central role in supporting countries in their decision-making, strengthening the resilience of territories and accelerating action for land restoration and sustainable land management.
This election is ultimately a source of pride for Senegal and the CSE, whose scientific expertise has been recognized within one of the key mechanisms of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Babaclimat – Journal Agropasteur