Ousmane Aly Pame, PhD, is a university professor of British literature, former Mayor of the eco-town of Guede Chantier, first President of Global Ecovillage Network/ Africa. He designs and runs international academic programmes in ecovillages in Senegal.

Dr Pame is founder and President of REDES (Network for Ecovillage Emergence and Development in the Sahel, www.redes-ecovillages.org). In partnership with national agencies, local governments, international NGOs and Universities, REDES is now supporting the transformation of traditional Senegalese and Mauritanian villages into ecovillages. REDES is actively working to roll back the encroaching Sahara Desert and its dramatic sociocultural, economic, and ecological impacts. REDES is supporting the emergence of a transborder ecovillage hub consisting of 100 village communities in Senegal River Valley.