United Nations Office of Special Co-ordinator for Development in the Sahel

The Office of Special Co-ordinator for development in the Sahel (OSCDS) was established following the appointment of the Special Co-ordinator in January 2021 by the UN Secretary-General. The mandate of the Special Co-ordinator is to lead collective efforts, including financing, to implement the UNISS and its support plan for a scaled-up UN development response for the Sahel, drawing on all the UN assets in the region, engaging and supporting efforts of G5 Sahel, Sahel-Alliance, Ministerial Coordination Platform, ECOWAS, African Union, European Union, World Bank and African Development Bank. Currently, OSCDS leads collaborative efforts with agencies, funds, and programs in the region towards implementing UNISS, viz:

• leading scaled-up implementation of UNISS/UNSP programs/activities ensuring the strategic alignment with national and regional priorities, and coherence with UNSDCFs;
• ensuring coordination and collaboration across UN development activities and programs, at the regional level, through a nexus-approach including with UN, national, regional, and international partners;
• ensuring an effective UNISS Steering Committee and the implementation of outcomes;
• resource mobilization efforts and financing;
• enhancing communication and visibility on the Sahel and UN Investments for a change of narrative;
• ensuing UN participation and engagement in high-level international and regional platforms;
• monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning;
• providing regular and thematic high-level reports on UNISS.