A Planning and Consultation Workshop on the establishment of Ethio-Norwegian Drylands Coordination Unit (ENDCU) was held on September 14-15th 2006. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss the modalities with various stakeholders about the establishment and potential role of an Ethio-Norwegian Drylands Coordination Unit.

Present in this workshop were the Director General of the Federal Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia (FEPA), representatives from the Royal Norwegian Embassy, a representative from NORAD and various personalities from non-governmental and governmental organizations working on dryland development.

Dr. Tweldebirhan Gebregziabeher, Director General of FEPA, presented an opening remark focusing on the global climate change and the devastating effects on developing countries including Ethiopia.

A statement from the Royal Norwegian Embassy was also presented by Dr. Simon Rye that focused on the historical developments that led to acting as a chef de file on the UNCCD issue by the Royal Norwegian Embassy as per the request of the Ethiopian Government.

In the first day of the workshop, various papers on several themes of relevance to dryland development were presented. They included the following topics:

• Workshop Goals and expectations by Mr Johan Helland, EPA
• TerrAfrica by Mr. Odd Arnesen, NORAD Agriculture Advisor
• Core challenges of dryland development by Dr. Mulugeta Berhanu, REST, Mekelle
• Pastoral community development project by Dr. Mohammed Hagos, PCDP, Addis Ababa
• Opportunities for integrated dryland development at Woreda level- local agenda 21 by Dr. Belay Simane, IDR, Addis Ababa University
• Relevant stakeholders at regional and woreda level by Dr. Tesfay Belay, Mekelle University, Mekelle.

Presentations served as a background for the succeeding discussions on the necessity, role and organization of a new Dryland Coordination Unit. Four groups were then formed and they all sought answers to the following questions:

• Necessity of the new dryland coordination unit
• The institutional set up of the new unit and
• Mandate of the new unit.

Dr. Jørn Stave from the Development Fund then closed the two days workshop.

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