UNCCD Leadership Handover: Ibrahim Thiaw Passes Baton to Yasmine Fouad

• Yasmine Fouad has officially taken over as the Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, succeeding Ibrahim Thiaw.
• The leadership transition took place on August 5, 2025, at the UNCCD headquarters in Bonn, Germany.
• Thiaw, who led the UNCCD since 2019, focused on land restoration initiatives and building drought resilience.

GG News Bureau
Bonn, Germany, 6th Aug: The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) today marked a historic leadership transition, as Yasmine Fouad, former Minister of Environment of Egypt, officially took over the role of Executive Secretary from Ibrahim Thiaw at the organization’s headquarters in Bonn.

Thiaw, a Mauritanian national, led the UNCCD secretariat since 2019. During his tenure, the Convention made significant progress in its mission to protect ecosystems and restore land. Under his leadership, the UNCCD supported major restoration activities like the Great Green Wall in Africa and the Middle East Green Initiative, while also launching key partnerships such as the International Drought Resilience Alliance and the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership.

In his farewell statement, Thiaw reflected on his journey, saying, “I am proud to have led the UNCCD Secretariat in changing the world’s perspective from land as a problem, to land as one of the most powerful solutions for sustainable development.” He welcomed Fouad, entrusting her with a “stronger and more inclusive secretariat with renewed momentum.”

Yasmine Fouad, with over 25 years of experience in environmental diplomacy, brings a robust background in climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development. She previously served as the UN’s Envoy for UNFCCC COP27 and chaired CBD COP14. In her first statement as the new Executive Secretary, Fouad thanked her predecessor and outlined her vision for the UNCCD.

“I will champion integrated solutions across land, climate and biodiversity and am committed to build with all parties and stakeholders ambitious comprehensive post-2030 targets,” Fouad said. She also pledged to deepen partnerships, amplify the voices of those most affected by desertification, and drive “bold actions to heal our lands, build resilience to droughts, restore our ecosystems and secure people’s futures.”

The UNCCD, a global body with 197 parties, serves as the voice for land, uniting governments, scientists, and communities to restore and manage the world’s land for a sustainable future.