 We are somewhere in a desert area in the western region. On this huge territory, many villages are completely isolated. As in a big part of sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of the population survives thanks to small livestock and subsistence farming. In 2003, this agro-pastoral model, already weakened by severe droughts, was struck by a locust invasion, plunging into distress millions of small producers, like Ali. When the invasion occurred, it was terrible. We only ate twice, even once a day. And to dress the children, we had to buy used clothes. The 2003-2005 plague was of an extraordinary scale. The plague has affected some 20 African countries, and more than 8 million of small farmers have lost their harvests due to the passage of devastating swarms. In order to stop the invasion, an important response system was put in place by the affected countries with the help of the international community, and 570 million U.S. dollars was needed to control it. In addition, more than 12 million liters of pesticides have been sprayed, creating damage to Saharan and Sahalian ecosystems already weakened by increased desertification. With a benefit of 35 years of experience on locust management, it is clear to me that the only way to best manage is the preventive control strategy. Because it will avoid the multiplication of swarms, the multiplication of locust crises, and it will protect humans, it will protect their achievements, it will protect their health, it will protect their environment. In view of the serious social, economic, and ecological impact of locust crisis, the concerned countries have decided to set up an important preventive mechanism in west and northwest Africa under the ages of the FAO. To this purpose, and similarly to FAO commissions in the central and eastern regions, the commission for controlling the desert locust in the western region, CLC Pro, was created. Indeed, the natural habitat of the desert locust in the western region is distributed across four sub-Saharan countries, Chad, Niger, Mali, and Mauritania, the so-called front-line countries and three countries of North Africa, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya. However, being a trans-boundary pest, the desert locust can invade the three neighboring countries called invasion countries, namely Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Tunisia. Hence, the interest for these ten countries to collaborate to ensure an effective preventive control with the coordination and support of CLC Pro. The specificity of these locusts is that they thrive in the desert. Thus, the objective of preventive management is to go to these areas and assess the level of populations to act very quickly before these locusts develop and form huge swarms with all the damage they cause during plagues. Implementing a preventive control strategy is not easy. This requires a lot of resources, knowledge, and coordination. Teams have to carry out surveys to locate locust populations and intervene with treatments if they have reached a critical level. This implies moving throughout huge geographic areas, often at very distant places, difficult to access, or even hostile. Yet, each locust infestation that is not brought under control in a timely manner becomes a possible threat in the future. And it is therefore crucial that prevention action be part of a continuing and sustainable process. The general trend from past experience shows that the absence of locusts is often thought of as an absence of problem. And if the problem does not exist, why do we put means in place? That's the fundamental question. The desert locust is always present, but is much less visible during remission periods, which are followed by periods of activity. Therefore, CLC Pro first played a key role with the political leaders of the four front-line countries, raising their awareness on the need to ensure institutional and financial autonomy of the National Locust Control Units, or NLCU. The front-line countries are the poorest ones among the commission's member countries, which have to face a number of challenges. If the NLCU are not administratively and financially autonomous, their resources during remission periods can be dedicated to cope with other problems. And if there is a lack of means, opportunity is given to an upsurge to arise. Thanks to CLC Pro, all its member countries have now autonomous NLCU with qualified personnel and the necessary equipment to carry out field surveys. But the fundamental element of preventive control at the regional level is cohesion between countries and the rapid and efficient management of locust information. This is possible in particular thanks to the use of E-Locust 3, a tool for collecting and transmitting field data in real time. The role of CLC Pro has been fundamental in information management. It has provided us with appropriate tools for data collection. In addition, these data are automatically stored in the database, which allows us to superimpose information and to have an overview of the locust situation in all concerned countries. Collaboration between countries is also reflected in the CLC Pro's Trust Fund and the Emergency Fund, known as the Locust Risk Management Fund. Thanks to these two funds, funded by contributions from its member countries, the commission can in turn provide financial or institutional support. If necessary, it allows in particular purchase of equipment or pesticides to provide technical assistance, to fund research or to organize training courses. In addition, thanks to its Emergency Fund, CLC Pro has set up an intervention force in the western region. The FIRO. There are now two operational bases, one in Mauritania and one in Chad. It is a regional cooperation tool, which essentially consists of equipment for survey and control operations, including 4x4 vehicles, as well as material for survey, control, communication and camping. This equipment is available for the four frontline countries to deal with locust outbreaks that exceed national resources. However, despite all efforts made in terms of prevention, zero risk does not exist. Indeed, the desert locust is present in more than 30 countries and could come from very far, in particular from the central or the eastern region. In addition, possible failures in the prevention system may result from inaccessibility of certain areas by the survey teams, either because of geographic isolation or insecurity. We really had to consider a scenario where there is a plague developing in an uncontrolled area. We have thus implemented a Locust Risk Management Plan, which allows each country to have the mechanisms to deal with a possible invasion. Consequently, national crisis simulation exercises are regularly organized in CLC Pro countries to test its efficiency. The last simulation exercise took place in Niger in February 2018. During this exercise, observers from the nine other CLC Pro countries were present to check the effectiveness of the intervention system and thus allow feedback to the benefit of all. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between the various players, to the availability and correct use of equipment and to information sharing between the various operational units. Among activities reviewed during the simulation, there is the human health and environmental monitoring. In fact, CLC Pro has introduced environmental specifications imposing to minimize the impact of pesticides on human health and the environment. Blood samples are therefore taken regularly to ensure that personnel in contact with insecticides has not been affected by them. This permanent concern for human health goes hand in hand with particular attention to the environment. Thus, ecologically sensitive areas are carefully mapped in order to prevent them from being contaminated by pesticides during control operations. Before CLC Pro, we did not have an awareness, I mean a full one, regarding the impact of pesticide use on the environment. Now that CLC Pro is here and has supported us for several years, behaviors have changed and tools have been acquired. In this perspective, CLC Pro is investing in applied research to develop and test products as alternatives to conventional pesticides, such as biopesticides. One of the strategic axes of CLC Pro is research. Funding is now available for research in order to use new technologies. Among these technologies of the future, we naturally include drones. CLC Pro and its partners, in particular the Desert Locust Information Service of FAO and the Commission in the Central Region are investing in this area. It will allow carrying out surveys or even control operations in areas where the teams cannot usually go because of difficult access or insecurity. It will also be a means of improving and ensuring the sustainability of the preventive control by making it possible to survey faster, more effectively and at a lower cost. Let us bet that the drones which will fly over the western region will be able to testify that for the local populations, the invasions of locusts are only a distant memory. Indeed, one of the most striking successes of CLC Pro since its creation has been to stop eight locust outbreaks, preventing them to develop to plague like that of 2003-2005. The most important success in my opinion is that the countries work in close collaboration and in the most harmonious way possible, even in the absence of pests. And countries are extremely engaged in this cooperation for an important objective, which is the preventive control strategy. Preventive control targeted to small farmers and pastoralists in the western region who are among the most vulnerable in the world and for whom a locust plague constitutes a real scourge. Above all, it is for them that the Commission exists.