A historic moment for Grenada and the wider Caribbean- the first regional Inter-Governmental Organisation mandated to implement the UNCCD mandate has officially opened its headquarters in the country. This is a critical step to improve regional coordination, advance sustainable soil and land management, and climate resilience. Officials of the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) joined with the Grenada Delegation of the Inter-Caribbean Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to open their headquarters and country office, respectively, at Archibald Avenue, St. George’s on Wednesday 25, January 2026, with an official ceremony.
Executive Director Dr. Ronen C.A Francis, citing this advancement as a milestone for the organisation, expressed his deep appreciation to the Government of Grenada, as well as the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana for previously hosting the Secretariat during earlier phases of theorganisation’s development.
As the organisation evolves into this new chapter, the Executive Director explained that the work is not solely abstract policy ambitions but translates into tangible action. Addressing the strategic direction of the organisation he listed, “Institutional strengthening and accreditation; implementation at scale particularly for the SOILCARE initiative and forward- looking regional programming, which includes the recent GEF-9 decisions of our Ministers, with a forthcoming Caribbean Drought Initiative to address the most pressing and emerging threats to our region.” Minister for Agriculture, Lands and Forestry, Hon. Lennox Andrews, in welcoming the organisation, noted that the presence of partners such as the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) on the ground brings tangible benefits to the region. “When partnering organisations like PISLM are on the ground, support becomes accessible, integrated collaboration becomes easier, coordination improves, and implementation is more effective,” Minister Andrews stated.
Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy, Hon. Kerryne James, described the co-location of the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) Headquarters alongside the Delegation Office of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) as particularly noteworthy.
“It reflects an evolution in how we approach development in the Caribbean — not in silos, but through convergence,” Minister James affirmed. “Agriculture cannot be divorced from land management. Land management cannot be separated from climate resilience.” Minister James also called on the other PISLM-affiliated countries to complete their Host Country Agreements and their Letters of Accession to facilitate greater efficiency in the execution of national project activities. The establishment of the PISLM’s headquarters in Grenada, follows the signing of the Headquarters Agreement in June 2025 between PISLM and the Government of Grenada and support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supporting the organisation’s permanent executive hub in the Country. The Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) continues to support Member States in fulfilling their obligations under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the organisation aligns our work with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — particularly SDG 15 on Life on Land and SDG 13 on Climate Action and also advance the principles first articulated in the Barbados Programme of Action for Small Island Developing States.
