Deputy Minister Swarts to open the Global Land Degradation Neutrality – Integrated Land Use Planning (LDN -– ILUP) Inception Workshop in Sandton, Johannesburg

11 May 2025

The Deputy Minister, Ms Bernice Swarts, will open the Global Land Degradation Neutrality – Integrated Land Use Planning (IDN -– ILUP) Inception Workshop Phase 2 of the Global Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Programme of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on Tuesday, 13 May 2025, in Sandton, Gauteng.

The workshop will deliberate on issues relating to desertification, land degradation and drought. The four-day workshop from 13 -16 May 2025, will be attended by guests from the Land Degradation Neutrality Phase 2 participating countries, donors, partners and UN agencies.

Land Degradation, Desertification and Drought forms part of the priority focus areas for South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 Environment, Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG). For the first time in the history of the G20 Presidency, South Africa has made a bold commitment by including DLDD issues amongst its G20 priorities. This commitment fosters global solidarity in addressing the drivers of DLDD while promoting the mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management practices and approaches across key sectors. The main focus under the G20 ECSWG priority on DLDD is on the implementation of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and its deliverables.

The workshop is a partnership between the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), G20 Global Land Initiative, Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Programme, Global Environment Facility, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Changwon Initiative, Canada and the Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Media are invited to attend and cover the event as follows:

Date: 13 May 2025 
Time: 09h00 
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng

For media enquiries please contact:

Peter Mbelengwa: 
Tel:+27 82 611 8197 
E-mail: pmbelengwa@dffe.gov.za