The Co-Chair of Working Group III (Climate Change Mitigation) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Dr Youba SOKONA had been the Executive Secretary of the Observatory of the Sahara and the Sahel (OSS) since June 2004, the Co-ordinator of the Energy Programme and the Executive Secretary for international relations of Environnement et Développement du Tiers Monde (ENDA-TM), an international non-profit organization based in Dakar, Senegal. Dr Sokona joined ENDA in 1982 after he had taught at the Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs, in Bamako, Mali.

Dr Sokona has solid experience in a wide array of disciplines and issues, particularly energy, environment and development in Africa. He took part in many international negotiations and follow-up events to the Rio process and the three UN environmental conventions on Climate Change, Desertification, and Biodiversity. He is often invited by African Governments and international organizations, such as the World Bank, UNDP, UNEP, UNCCD, UNFCCC, etc., to be a member of a steering committee, to conduct programme evaluations, to chair high-level session in international conferences, or to contribute with scientific and policy papers.

Throughout his career, Dr Sokona has served in various advisory capacities to various African governments and organizations. He has published several books and articles on the issues of energy, environment and development with a focus on Africa.