Earlier this year, the IAEA and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) signed a practical arrangement to strengthen partnership between the two organizations in their activities related to soil management.

The IAEA is now going to participate in UNCCD's 11th Conference of the Parties (UNCCD COP 11), which is taking place from 16-27 September 2013 in Windhoek, Namibia. The official theme of the conference is "A stronger UNCCD for a Land-Degradation Neutral World."

IAEA experts will present the IAEA's technical cooperation activities in sustainable land management and optimization of resources and will explain the benefits of isotope techniques for soil management at an IAEA side event titled "The importance of accurate soil data: How isotope studies provide evidence for combatting desertification". The side event will feature speakers from Kenya and Uganda, who will ?present IAEA technical cooperation projects in the area of soil management in their countries.