The First Africa Drylands Week will be held back-to-back with the global observance event on 17 June to mark World Day to Combat Desertification. Over 100 scientists and representatives of government and international and civil society organizations will convene in Dakar, Senegal, from 10-17 June 2011, to develop an integrated approach to address the Region’s challenges of desertification and biodiversity loss, and the new climate change threat. This meeting, which is being co-organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is working towards a global vision and partnership on the Sustainable Land and Climate Risk Management for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative.  

dates: 10-17 June 2011   location: Dakar, Senegal   contact: Nora Berrahmouni, FAO   e-mail: nora.berrahmouni@fao.org   www: http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2011/menu.php?newch=l11