(3rd Meeting) Committee of the Whole - UNCCD COP17

And Distinguished delegates, please have a seat.
We shall start right now our meeting.
Colleagues, dear, sisters and brothers, please have a seat.
Excellencies dissing Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
I call to order the third meeting of the Committee of the Whole of the Conference of Parties to United Nations Convention to combat certification at its 17th session.
I now invite the committee to hear an update from the contact groups, and I will give the floor now to Mr.
Haron from Mauritius, facilitator of the contact group number one, dealing with budgets.
Mr.
Horon, the floor is yours.
I think there is some technical issues.
Please, technicians, if you could help us.
Yes.
Go ahead, please.
Thank you, Chair.
I'm pleased to report that the budget group has met several times since Monday evening and has made good progress.
It is very likely that we will be able to adopt updated financial rules at visco.
Which will indeed make way for an up to date and comprehensive framework for financial and administrative matters for the coming years.
There remains a few paragraphs still open, and we are confident that those will be sorted out in the coming days.
We have also made good progress with a text of the budget decisions.
However, we still have some work to do before reaching a consensus based agreement in regards to the resources for the next biennium.
Group is working steadily with deep focus and high energy and will continue with the work this afternoon tomorrow and another day over the weekend.
I thank you for your attention.
I thank Mr.
Horn, for this briefing and now I will give the floor to Madame Marin Colon of France to give us an update on the work of the contact group two on other matters.
The floor is yours, Madame Marin.
Max Buie Lu.
Thank you very much and good afternoon to one and all.
Thank you, President.
Last plenary, we had two meetings at the contact group.
We had one yesterday evening where we continue our discussion on drought.
It was mostly a discussion on process and on how we would continue our work and we aim to continue our discussions tonight based on the text with different option and with invitation to delegation to also come and put forward proposition to help us continue to move forward.
We also I'm happy to indicate that today we had two sessions of the contact group which helped us to start a first reading of the decision on migration up to the operative, the first operative paragraph.
And we then had a session just before this plenary on the private sector where we were able to have a first reading of all preambula paragraph and the two first operative paragraphs.
Our plan is for by tonight share with delegation a Who are in the mailing list two draft and with the objective to continue discussing them tomorrow and tonight to focus on draft and continue also our discussion.
Just to highlight the importance for us, but we are able to have different slots, if possible tomorrow so that we're able to address the many different items that we need to take forward.
President, Mercier delegation, Paul Engagement constructive, We appreciate the support and the constructive attitude.
I'm certain that we will be able to reach satisfying results.
Thank you kindly.
Thank you, Madam Marin, for this updates.
Distinguished delegates, now I invite the committee to begin its consideration of agenda item number two entitled 2018 2030 Strategic Framework of UCCD with sub item B entitled Enhancing the Implementation of the Convention and its 2018 2030 strategy framework for which the committee has before it documents ICCD slash cop 17 slash five.
I will first give the floor to Mr.
I will first give the floor to Madam Sato, of your City Secretariat to introduce this note.
You have the floor, Madam Sato.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair and good afternoon.
By decision seven cop 15.
The conference of the parties launched the midterm evaluation of the UNCCD 2018 2030 strategic framework, which involved an evidence based independent assessment of the progress made toward the objectives of the strategic framework and a report of an intergovernmental working group presenting its findings and recommendations to Cop 17.
Building on the recommendations of the intergovernmental working group, parties adopted Deion seven Cop 16 on enhancing the implementation of the UN CCD 2018 2030 strategy framework in 2025 2030.
This agenda item and the document that I am presenting are in follow up to that process.
By decision seven Cp 16, the Cp requested or proposed several measures addressing parties, the convention institutions and bodies and key stakeholders with the aim to enhance the implementation of the convention and the strategic framework.
These measures were about national information sharing and coordination, the private sector, synergies, gender equality, women's empowerment, the globality of the impacts of justification, land degradation, and drought, science policy interfacing, national reporting, resource mobilization, and the engagement of the civil society.
Most measures that were taken after COP 16 in follow up to the decision are presented in detail in those COP CRC and CSD documents that are specifically dedicated to the topic in concern.
To avoid application, the document under this agenda item provides a brief overview of the action taken only on those two topics that are not covered elsewhere, national information sharing and coordination and the globality of the impacts of desation, land degradation, and drought.
The focus of the document is therefore on measures taken by the convention institutions and bodies.
As the content of this agenda item and related documentation are directly relevant for the consideration of the next UN CCD strategic framework, it is proposed that in future GOPS this agenda item and related documentation are merged with those of that process.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you, Madam Sato.
I now open the floor in connection with the note that was just introduced, and I kindly request speakers to keep their statement brief.
The floor is yours.
China, you have the floor.
S.
Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
The strategic framework is a strategic guiding document for the efforts of parties to implement the commission.
We have now reached the closing phase of the implementation.
In our view, we must first of all, give full importance to the implementation of this strategic framework.
The commission bodies and the cooperation partners must fully consider the actual needs and requirements of countries while supporting the national capacity building of state parties, as well as information sharing and coordination of various institutions.
We should encourage all parties to bear in mind their own specific management system and practical experience when searching for implementation path which is compatible with the national circumstances.
Secondly, when it comes to monitoring and the reporting of indicators, both the present and future strategies should fully consider the different needs of various countries at the national, global and regional levels and the different reporting capacities in order to avoid over complication.
The use of new technologies must be on a voluntary basis and must be based on respecting the digital sovereignty of various countries along with supporting the capacity of those countries.
The current strategic framework will be over in four years time.
We must consider the assessment of the implementation of the current strategy while seeking to formulate the future strategy after 2030 while ensuring the coherence of various policies.
Fourthly, we must specify the goals and ways to achieve the objectives so as to provide more assistance to developing countries.
I give the floor to European Union.
Chair, Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.
I am speaking on behalf of the European Union and its member states.
The EU and its member states acknowledge the critical role played by the UN CCD and its 2030, 2018 to 2030 strategic framework in urgently addressing the global challenges of desertification, land degradation, and drought, whose impacts are disproportionately suffered by the most vulnerable people and are exacerbated by climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and other issues.
We welcome the efforts of the UN CCD Secretariat to implement the recommendations made by parties following the midterm evaluation of the current strategic framework.
We welcome also the incorporation of these recommendations into other items for discussion at Cop 17.
We also welcome the specific recommendations relating to the roles and responsibilities of national focal points and science and technology correspondents, many of whom are gathered with us today.
These positions make up the backbone of parties efforts to implement the convention, representing a strong global community of policymakers and scientists committed to combating DLDD and we salute their tireless work towards a better future.
A clear and standardized understanding of DUO roles across the parties will assist NFPs and STCs in the delivery of their duties.
We would draw attention in particular to the vital role of NFPs in integrating UN CCD implementation into national development plans, climate plans, biodiversity frameworks, and other areas of policy, acknowledging the strong interconnections between DLDD and these areas and the need for policy coherence.
We also point to the critical importance of properly integrating scientific expertise into the work of the convention through the collaboration between NFPs and STCs.
A core element of both roles must be to coordinate action on a whole of government, whole of society basis, effectively working with the private sector and civil society organizations.
We also recognize the work done to encourage all parties and encourage their participation in the work of the convention.
The challenge of combating DLDD is a challenge facing the world as a whole and one to which we must ensure all are committed.
Capability gaps in implementation and reporting can affect developed countries as well as affected parties.
It is worth noting that many parties, including in the European Union, are both substantial donors to addressing DLDD globally, while also experiencing its effects directly.
Advocacy, communication, and awareness raising around DLDD must therefore have a global reach, particularly with regard to the mobilization of financial resources from all sources.
It will be important that the development of the future strategic framework continue consideration of this topic.
Thank you very much for your attention.
I thank the representative from European Union.
I have just one speaker on the list from civil society.
I want to make sure if are there any other member states that want to take the floor.
I see no requests for the floor.
Bangladesh, you have the floor.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair, Distinguished delegates.
Bangladesh welcome to continued follow up to decision, particularly the recommendation on the roles and responsibilities of national focal point and science and technology correspondent contained in the annex.
Bangladesh recognized the value of clear institutional mandates and strong NFP STC coordination mechanism at mandate and stronger SDC coordination mechanism and the national level.
As a country actively strengthening its own national DLDD coordination architecture, including efforts on integrated reporting under Phase four, national roadmap for land degradation, drought, and desertification, our National Agriculture drought Monitoring System, BAMIS and soil health work by the soil Resource Development Institute, SRDI.
We consider this recommendation both timely and practical.
We would highlight three points for consideration.
First, we support the recommendation to enhance digital system for data sharing and reporting.
Note that this must be must be accompanied by predictable capacity building must support, particularly for developing countries to ensure that digitalization narrows rather than widers implementation gap.
Second, we underscore the importance of institutional continuity for both national focal point and science and technology correspondent frequent turnover undermines the accumulate technical and negotiation memory that effects UN CCD implementation requires.
Third, on the globally of DLDD impacts, Bangladesh reforms that heredity, salinity, intrusion and route are increasingly interlinked and cross border in nature and we look forward to the outcome of the intergovernmental working group for the future strategic framework in this regret.
We support the proposed to merge this agenda item with the Cop 2030 strategic framework process for future session to avoid duplication and streamline parties engagement.
Thank you, Chair.
I thank the representative of Bangladesh.
I give now the floor to civil society representative.
Thank you, Chair.
Distinguished delegate, on behalf of civil society and indigenous people, we acknowledge the effort in advancing the implementation of the strategic framework.
Recognizing the importance of strengthening the implementation pathway during this critical period towards 2030.
Implementation success will not be determined only by indicators and reports, but by communities, especially those in vulnerable situation with healthy and productive land secure, livelihood, greater resilience, and stronger voice in decisions affecting their future.
Therefore, civil society recommend the following.
Accelerate implementation through stronger national ownership and local action, addressing persistent implementation gaps, strengthening community based programs, early warning and drought resilience systems, and integration of local and indigenous knowledge into national policies, recognizing communities as partners, not merely beneficiaries, by ensuring the meaningful and inclusive participation throughout the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and decision making processes.
Strengthen youth leadership in implementation with stronger mechanisms to support youth participation in decision making, access to sustainable financing, technological innovation, mentorship, and capacity development.
Science, capacity building and innovation must be strengthened by combining scientific evidence with local knowledge to develop practical and locally owned solutions and supporting stronger knowledge platforms and regional cooperation.
Gender equality, indigenous people and local communities must remain at the center of implementation efforts, protecting their knowledge, land rights, and leadership, while ensuring free, prior, and informed consent and addressing the structural inequalities that limit their participation and contribution.
Close the implementation gap through accessive finance and partnership that directly support local action through simplified funding mechanisms, long term support, and investments in community led solution, and strengthen accountability beyond reporting to ensure that implementation delivers tangible results on the ground.
Finally, we urge parties to reinstate the items on gender, the synergies among the real conventions, and the participation of civil society organizations on the agenda of this cop.
Excellencies, the coming year until 2030 are decisive.
Let's cop 17 strengthen implementation by putin people at the center of the convention.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of civil society.
Now, I give the floor to Botswana.
Thank you, Chair and distinguished delegates, Botswana has followed with keen interest the growing attention to dry and forest within the UN system, including discussion initiated at the UNFF 20 in 2025.
We are disappointed that the Forum's 2026 resolution did not translate that attention into dedicated action and we see this convention's new strategic feedback as the place to correct that gap.
At this framework takes shape for the next decade, Bosona offers a concrete and replicable example.
Government ownership support by partners such as FAO and F has created the enabling environment to transform national targets into action.
The F seven Ryland Program growth shows that rant forests can serve as the glute for integrated approaches, delivering results across forest, croplands and grasslands alike.
Looking ahead, the potential is far greater.
Development partners and the private sector can amplify these gains through investment in restoration finances, innovation, and inclusive partnerships, aligning this work with the UNCCDC imaging agenda on drought resilience, land based financing and gender responsiveness action will ensure that drill and forests are not only protected but leveraged as engines of sustainable development.
Botsona stands ready to contribute actively to embedding these priorities into the 2030 post 2030 strategic framework.
I thank you Chair.
I thank the representative of Botswana.
I see no further requests to speak.
I give now the floor to Madame Satu of the CCD Secretariat to react to discussion we've had.
The floor is yours, Madam Sato.
Many thanks, Mr.
Chair.
Just briefly, we have taken due note of all the comments and we'll be delivering them to the process of developing the future strategic framework.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Satu.
Sandwich delegates, I propose now that further discussion on this agenda item be taken up during contacts groups meeting.
I hear no objection.
It's so decided.
I now invite the committee to resume its consideration of agenda item five entitled Policy Framework and thematic Issues and to turn its attention to the issue of sand and dust storms.
Under this issue, the committee has before it documents ICCD slash Cp 17 slash nine and ICCDssh Cp 17 slash 12.
I first give the floor to Mr.
Sasha from UCC Secretariat to introduce the document ICCD Cop 17 slash nine.
The floor is yours, Mr.
Sasha.
Thank you, Chair.
Distinguished delegates.
Do ICCD cop 17 slash nine provides a summary of the activities undertaken by the Secretariat and the global mechanism as requested in Decision 27 cop 16 on sand and dust storms.
Here, I would like to highlight of some of these activities.
The Secretariat continues to be an active member of the United Nations Coalition on combating sand and dust storms, contributing to the framework action plan for the United Nations decade on combating sand and dust storms 2025 to 2034.
The President of the General Assembly high level event on sand and dust storms held in New York in observance of the International Day of combating sand and dust storms on 12 July 2025.
And the Secretary-General annual report on sand and dust storms to the United Nations General Assembly.
On 12 July 2026, the International Day, the Secretariat updated the sand and dust storms toolbox with the aim of enhancing its utility for the parties.
I would like to draw your attention to the revision of the first two modules of the sand and dust storms toolbox.
Module one on the identification and mapping of sand and dust storm sources provides an overview of the most common approaches and methods used to detect SDS sources as part of a basic workflow to obtain, refine, and validate results.
Module two, on SDS source Management, contains an inventory of tools, technologies, and good practices that can be used to inform decision makers and other stakeholders about the nature based and human engineered solutions.
These include potential experimental and proven SDS source management interventions.
The global mechanism in collaboration with the Secretariat, has been developing a global implementation initiative for sand and dust storms to assist parties in their efforts to address and better manage anthropogenic SDS sources.
Envisioned as a contribution to the United Nations decade on combating sand and dust storms, the initiative is being developed to serve as a catalyst for the mobilization of technical and financial resources for SDS source mitigation projects and programs.
Draft elements for decision on sand and dust storms are contained in document ICCD cop 17 slash 12 for the consideration of the parties.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Sasha from UC City Secretariats.
Distinguished delegates.
Now I open the floor in connection with the document that was just introduced, and I kindly request speakers to keep their statement brief so we can hear from as many speakers as possible.
Now I give the floor to Algeria.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The African Group thanks the Secretariat for its work on sand and dust storms and welcome the progress made since Cop 16, the United Nations decade to combat sand and dust storms, the strengthening of the dedicated UN Coalition, the update of the toolbox, and the development of the Global Implementation Initiative for source Management.
Africa remains one of the region's most exposed to sand and dust storms whose frequency and intensity are increasing under the combined effects of land degradation, desertification, and drought.
Their impacts affect health, food security, agriculture, water, infrastructure, and ecosystems, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people.
Mr.
President, for the African group, SDS do not represent only an environmental challenge, but also a matter of development, climate resilience, and food security.
In this regard, the African group supports the strategic direction of GISDS in particular, the mapping of source areas, the restoration of degraded lands, sustainable land management, and the strengthening of national monitoring capacities.
In this regard, we underscore the importance of the new source detection module and encourage the Secretary to continue its refinement in order to strengthen ecosystem specific management, improve the prioritization of dust sources, and support more targeted land restoration interventions.
We also call for strengthened monitoring, forecasting, and early warning through enhanced scientific cooperation and innovative technologies, remote sensing, geographic information system, and artificial intelligence.
The group also underscores that particular attention must be paid to developing knowledge on the socioeconomic impacts of SDS, including their differentiated impacts on women, children, indigenous peoples, and local communities in order to better inform public policies and investments.
Furthermore, we reaffirmed the importance of synergies between efforts to combat SDS and land degradation neutrality targets, national adaptation strategies, the SDGs, the coerial framework, and the Sundai Framework.
Mr.
President, the African group calls on the Secretariat, the global mechanism, and technical and financial partners to increase their support to affected countries for land resporation, early warning, institutional strengthening, and technology transfer.
We also encourage regional and cross border initiative to address the root causes of SDS.
In conclusion, the African Group reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations decade to combat SDS 2025, 2034 and calls for strengthened coordinated and cooperative international action to restore degraded lands, reduce dust forces, protect vulnerable populations, and threngthen the resilience of our countries.
Thank you for your attention.
I thank the representative of Algeria.
Now I give the floor to Chile.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
In Northern Chile, characterized by conditions of extreme aridity, and and dust storms do occur in certain areas.
When such events arise, action is taken to minimize their adverse effects on communities and urban areas.
Chile's experience highlights the importance of linking monitoring, forecasting and early warning with effective institutional coordination and anticipatory action.
When an event has the potential to develop into a disaster, Chile's National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response may convene the relevant Disaster Risk Management Committee and activate the corresponding alert mechanism.
Depending on the magnitude and expected consequences of the event, this framework allows the competent authorities to coordinate appropriate actions to safeguard the population.
This may include where necessary the closure of educational establishments or border crossings, evacuations and other measures aimed at reducing exposure and vulnerability.
At the local level, initiatives are also being developed to establish green areas and wind breaks to reduce wind driven dust uplift and transport, working in coordination with local governments.
Chile, therefore, consider it important to move beyond the identification of sand and dust storm events towards comprehensive risk management, combining monitoring and early warning with preparedness, impact mitigation, and locally adapted interventions.
In this regard, we support strengthening scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange together with enhanced capacities for risk and vulnerability assessment, early warning and preparedness with a view to reducing adverse impacts and strengthening the resilience of affected communities.
Thank you, Chair.
I thank the representative of Chile and now I give the floor to European Union.
The EU and its 27 member states understand that sand and dust storms are an important topic for many countries with transboundary multifaceted and cross sectoral impacts.
The importance is only further highlighted by the increase in the global frequency and intensity of sand and dust storms over the last decade, exacerbated by desertification, land degradation, and drought, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
Their negative impacts can extend far beyond the areas where they originate, affecting human and animal health, the economy, the provision of essential ecosystem services and biodiversity, food security, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
Nature restoration is one of the most effective long term measures to prevent and reduce anthropogenic sources of SDS and helps to enhance the resilience of ecosystems and communities.
Nature based solutions and sustainable land and water can also play a key role in mitigating negative effects of sand and dust storms and adapt and build resilience to them.
We encourage efforts to restore degraded ecosystems as part of integrated strategies to address desertification, land degradation, drought, and SDS in a mutually reinforcing manner.
The EU and its member states welcome the updated and and dust storm toolbox with the revision of the module on source detection and the creation of an inventory of tools, technologies, and good practices for SDS source management.
The EU stresses the importance of implementing gender responsive and transformative actions to address SDS and of promoting the empowerment of all women and girls in the actions taken to combat SDS by ensuring they are involved in the decision making process.
The EU and its member states also underline that effective action on SDS requires strengthening the operational links and synergies between SDS mitigation and other established global frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and their national implementation frameworks.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the European Union and now I give the floor to China.
Thank you, Chair.
China welcomes the work carried out by the Secretariat and the global mechanism in the context of the United Nations alliance to combat sand and dust storms, in particular, updating the toolbox, improving monitoring, and developing different management measures.
We have the following recommendations to increase surveillance monitoring of sources of dust in national areas of drought in order to establish a system to monitor different kinds of drought and the evolution of sources.
Two, in vulnerable areas.
We must integrate stabilization and restoration measures for source areas into land management policies and for environmental restoration policies.
Three, we need to boost local capacity through using new technologies to monitor erosion, wind erosion, to carry out mapping, and to have predictions which are computer assisted.
China shall continue implementing best practices for the management of sources of dust storms through using technologies and solutions which are innovative for the most vulnerable areas, including in Central Asia and Africa in the context of the South South initiatives and on a bilateral level, which I'll continue to strengthen our exchanges and cooperation with countries of Northeast Asia on monitoring of sandstorms and to manage sources.
Thank you.
In of China.
Now I give the floor to Republic of Korea.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Sand and dust system are trans boundary and environmental issues that transcend national borders, making international solidarity and cooperation accessible.
The Republic of Korea is also affected by transboundary SDS, particularly during spring time with impact on air quality, human health, and ecosystems.
Recognizing the importance of international cooperation in addressing SDS, the Republic of Korea has worked to develop practical solutions through the USSD framework and regional cooperation in Northeast Asia.
First, through the Taiwan Initiative, the Republic of Korea has consistently supported the development of policy and practical tools for the international community, including SDS toolbox.
In particular, we welcome the rest update of the SES toolbox, including the improved source detection module and enhanced assess tools, technology, and good practices for source management.
We also welcome the progress made in developing the global implementation initiative on sand and those systems and support its direction toward strengthened source monitoring and management, land restoration, science policy integration, and regional cooperation.
Second, at the regional level, the Republi of Korea has been carrying out a Greenbelt deforestation project in Mongolia since 2007.
We are now expanding the scope of cooperation beyond combat identification of deforestation to include the restoration of fire affected area, wildfire prevention, and income generation for local communities.
In addition, we are promoting pilot project for joint SDS response in cooperation with the member countries to identification of land degradation and drought network in Northeast Asia.
We believe that such cooperation can demonstrate how land restoration and sustainable land management can reduce SDS risk at their resource while strengthening local resilience.
In this regard, Republic of Korea would like to make two requests to UNIC Secretariat and international community.
First, given that Northeast Asia is directly affected by SDS, we request the Secretariat continue attention and support for SDS response at the regional and sub regional levels.
We also encourages strong inter regional and inters regional cooperation so that regions facing similar SDS challenges can share approaches and experiences in source monitoring and management as well as good practices.
Republic of Korea will continue to strengthen its cooperation with the international community to address global SDS challenges and advance sustainable land management.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea and now I give the floor to Morocco.
Monsieur President.
Chair, Your excellency' distinguished delegates, the Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the efforts made by the Secretariat and a global mechanism to make progress in the work on dust and sandstorms.
We really do need to have the appropriate response to these and we align ourselves with a statement made on behalf of the African group.
Chair, sand and dust storms are a major challenge For countries with economic, social impacts which go beyond national divisions and ban borders.
We need to make sure that we improve monitoring, we do capacity building, and we do land restoration.
We welcome progress made on the global initiative for the global implementation Initiative for sand and dust storms to assist parties in efforts to address sand and dust storms in particular, improve knowledge of sources and land restoration and the economic consequences.
The Kingdom of Morocco is part of this dynamic trend, conducting research and monitoring, in particular through modeling.
We also use strategies and programs to combat land degradation for the restoration of ecosystems and to combat wind erosion so that we can boost the resilience of the different territories.
Chair, given the transfroer nature, the transboundary nature of this phenomenon, strengthening knowledge and regional cooperation remain essential To complement national priorities and programs, the Kingdom of Morocco remains available to make a constructive contribution to this process and to endeavor together with all partners to pursue this work.
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, the Representative of Morocco.
Now, I give the floor to the Syrian Arab Republic.
Syrian Arab Republic.
Thank you, Chair.
Chair, the Syrian Arab Republic suffers from the consequences of sand and dust storms and we really do consider it as a priority for us to combat these.
This is a phenomenon which knows no borders, which does indeed cross borders.
We need to look at early warning, preparation, and prevention, as well as the management of the impact of the SDSs.
We need to have data management, statistic collection, and as this phenomenon does no borders, we need to work together.
Chair, in Syria, we have a national program to define to fully identify the consequences of dust storms so that we can seek to prevent drought and manage the consequences of drought.
And this with international cooperation.
This is part of our efforts to limit the adverse impact of such phenomena.
In the implementation of these efforts, we do require further financial resources.
Thank you.
Representative of Syrian Arab Republic, now I give the floor to South Africa.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
South Africa would like to support the position expressed by Algeia on SDS on behalf of the Africa Group.
We welcome continued improvement of the UN SCD standard storm toolbox, particularly the source decision model as a valuable tool for strengthening evidence based planning, monitoring and management of SDS.
Mr.
Chair, we acknowledge that the toolbox has improved.
We are of the view that the toolbox require further refinement to move beyond identification of dust source location towards characterizing source landscapes through the integration of land use, ecological condition, and land degradation data.
Mr.
Chair, we further support the application of artificial intelligenc, machine learning, the age observation technology to strengthen SDS monitoring and source detection, while we emphasize the need to complement this tool with robust ground observation to improve validation, reduce arity, and enhance real time.
Monitoring and early warning system.
We call for the prioritization and improvement of ground based tools, ethnic technologies to assist parties in addressing SDS issues at a national level.
Mr.
Chair, the preliminary national assessment confirmed that South Africa is affected by SDS with significant event recorded in the northern and western part of the country.
Climate risk and socioecological vulnerability assessment also demonstrate that pastoralist women and youth are affected the most.
Mr.
Chair, as I conclude, South Africa has joined the UN Coalition on combating SDS.
We would like to reiterate the importance of strengthening synergies amongst the theory of convention at all level, in tackling issues of SDs through the implementation of land degradation neutrality targets, climate change adaptation strategies, the global biodiversity Framework, and the Sunday Framework for disaster risk reduction.
Thanks so much.
I thank the representative of South Africa and now I give the floor to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mr.
President, distinguished delegates, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the government of Mongolia and the organizers of this important meeting, especially the Secretariat of UNCity for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangement.
Ladies and gentlemen, like many countries around the world, Iran suffers from sand and dusty stores and the degradation of range land is a shared concern.
Regarding assistance in addressing these challenges, Iran has a long history based on indigenous knowledge and innovative methods by the active participation of beneficiaries and stakeholders.
Rehabilitation of canals, flood spreading, comprehensive watershed management, using non aving wind bricks, restoration of degraded rangelands, conservative agriculture, and early warning system development by focusing on hotspots are part of Iran's National action plan for sand and dust storms control.
Also, regional momentum for addressing sand and duster storm held in Tehran 9-10 September 2023, which highlighted for a stronger cooperation.
The fact is that due to its cross border and multidimensional nature of SDS, no single country can solve this global challenge on its own.
That's why coordinated measures are more effective than isolated national initiatives.
Close cooperation among all relevant stakeholders at the regional and international and inter regional level is suggested.
In this regard, the inter regional initiative to combat sand and dust storm in West Asia, which finalized over the past year through the efforts of ESCAP and ESCA can serve as a roadmap for dust control in the region.
Mr.
President, today, more than ever, we need to adopt an integrated and holistic approach to controlling sand and o source.
If this happens, it will be a win win strategy for both source and see countries.
So more cooperation on sharing best practices, early warning systems, combining innovative methods with indigenous knowledge and providing affected countries with timely and equal access to international financial resources and technologies can lead to solutions that are more cost effective, community based, and sustainable.
Thank you for your attention.
I thank the representative of Islamic Republic of Iran and now I give the floor to Guyana.
Thank you, Chair.
Ghana, thanks to the Secretariat and the global mechanism for document ICCD slash COP 16 slash nine.
Ghana appreciates efforts to assess and manage sand and storm sources.
However, we believe that sand and dust storms are a challenge that extend beyond source regions and represent a growing threat that requires preventive and integrated approaches.
Episodic transboundary saharan dust events have impacted Ghana's coastal population by degrading air quality, aggravating respiratory illnesses, reducing visibility and transport and affecting agriculture and water systems.
For us, these impacts compound pressures from drought, flooding, and sea level rise.
Ghana welcomes the action plan for the United Nations decade on combating sand and storms, the updated sand and storms toolbox, and the Global Implementation Initiative.
At the same time, we believe that the source focused pillars must be matched by equal attention to impact resilience in receptor regions.
Thus, attention should be given to receptor countries, including small island developing states impacted by transboundary dust events.
There must also be explicit recognition of affected parties eligibility for technical and other support, including for those in non source regions.
We encourage collaboration among the UN CCD, WHO, WMO, and regional institutions to link those forecasting withheld early warning.
We also encourage the United Nations Coalition on combating sand and storms, the global mechanism and financial partners to further support capacity building and regional cooperation in the Caribbean, including for risk assessments and national and regional action plans.
Finally, Guyana calls for recognition of sand and dust storm impacts affecting receptor regions as an issue requiring dedicated research, monitoring, and technical support.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Guyana and now I give the floor to Botswana.
Chairperson, distinguished delegates, Botswana would like to concur with the submission of the Africa group under this item.
In our view, sand and dust storms affect all countries in different ways.
In Botswana, we manage St.
Ju's primarily in the Southwestern Kalkdia region, addressing both ecological stabilization and economic development.
San June and dry land management are integrated into the country's National Action Program to combat desertification under the UNCCD, which prioritizes land rehabilitation and sustainable livelihoods.
Key efforts include fencing to protect fragile dunes from overgrazing, community led planting of indigenous vegetation, and sustainable ecotourism initiatives.
Local initiatives utilize community trusts to fence off active dunes from livestock.
Allowing indigenous grasses and trees to stabilize the shift in St.
Jones.
In order to derive value from St.
Jones, Botswana has incorporated its St.
Jones into the national tourism strategy with the annual off road motorsport named Kowa Jun Challenge, bringing economic activity to the region while authorities monitor the ones to ensure events cause no permanent ecological damage.
Thank you, Chair.
I thank the representative of Botswana and they give the floor now to Mongolia.
It's clear shift from assessment and guidance towards practical implementation.
For Mongolia, sand and dust storms are not only an environmental concern.
They're a serious economic and development obstacle.
Research based on national meteorological and household data recorded an average of 29 dust events annually, with some provinces experiencing as many as 108 events in a single year.
Sand and dust storm exposure reduces crop revenue by 2.7%, representing a potential economic loss of approximately $78 million or 0.27% of national GDP under a national impact scenario.
The costs are also borne directly by rural communities.
During the severe storms of March 2021, Dowev province alone reported nine human deaths, at least 160,000 livestock killed, and approximately 230,000 livestock missing.
Such events destroy pastoral assets, reduce agricultural productivity, damage infrastructure, interrupt transport and trade, increase health risks, and deepen the vulnerability of rural households.
Sand and dust storms are inherently transboundary.
Dust does not stop at national borders and no country can address its sources, pathways and impacts alone.
Mongolia therefore calls for stronger cooperation among source, transit and affected countries through shared monitoring, timely data exchange, coordinating early warning, joint research and investment in sustainable land and water management.
Mongolia encourages to support in source area assessment, range restoration, early warning, public health protection.
Cop 17 should recognize that investment in sand and dust storms is investment in food security, public health, resilient livelihoods, regional connectivity, and sustainable development.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Mongolia and now I give the floor to Iraq.
Good afternoon.
Peace me up on you.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
The delegation of Iraq reiterates the need to promote regional and international cooperation to address sand and dust storms, especially that they are among the transnational challenges through exchange of information expertise, promoting monitoring and early warning systems, building capacity and technology transfer, preparing national and regional action plans.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Iraq.
Now I give the floor to Turkey.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Turkey is a country affected by sand and dust storms, attaches importance to advancing cooperation to address this environmental challenge.
Turkey believes that launching of the UN decade on combating sand and dust storms 2026 to 24 is important step in enhancing collective action against this global challenge.
In this regard, we believe that efforts should concentrate on strengthening scientific cooperation, early warning systems, sustainable land management, capacity building, and technology transfer.
With this understanding, greater emphasis should be placed on translating political commitments into concrete action through exchanging scientific knowledge and best practices, enhancing monitoring and forecasting to improve preparedness and resilience in affected regions.
Given the transboundary nature of sand and dust storms, closer regional and international cooperation is indispensable.
At regional and global levels, differences in technical capacity between countries can limit cooperation.
Additionally, limited financial resources, insufficient data, and the relatively low number of studies can create obstacles to address sand and dust storms.
Greater efforts are needed to strengthen capacity building, access to innovative technologies, and promote scientific cooperation, particularly by supporting technical assistance, training programs, and sharing of expertise among member states.
Through the Ankara Initiative, Türkiye has supported capacity building of countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia to combat land degradation and desertification and consequently sand and dust storms, contributing to the establishment of land degradation neutrality targets.
Since 2012, 1,220 experts from 108 countries have been trained on desertification and SDS under international training programs carried out by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and the Climate Change of Turkey.
In addition, under the FAO Turkey Forestry Partnership Program, Turkey leads sustainable land management projects in the Great Green Wall countries and in Central Asia.
Within the framework of this program, land restoration has been successfully carried out in North Africa through the Bridges Project, while SDA sources have been addressed in Central Asia through the France Project.
These projects are significant examples of sharing best practices and strengthening capacity.
Last but not least, Turkey was pleased to host the third round of international collaboration on sand and dust storms in support of the United Nations decade on combating sand and dust storms 2025 to 34, jointly organized by UN EsquiA and ESCAP on one to July this year.
The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening dialogue, promoting exchange of experiences, and identifying political solutions tailored to the needs of affected countries.
To conclude, Turkey remains committed to working with all partners to advance international cooperation and collective action in addressing the challenges posed by sand and dust storms.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Turkey and they give now the floor to Namibia.
Yeah, thank you very much.
Namibia would like also to appreciate the government of Mongolia for organizing this excellent gathering here in Uandbar and we also want to thank the UN CCD Secretariat for putting together this very, very important gathering.
Namibia, I would like to align with the statement made by Ageria on behalf of African region.
As you know, Namibia is one of the country that is experiencing sand and dust storm because of the desert region that occur on the western coast of Namibia.
This is also a region that is popular for tourism activities and each time we have period of sand and dust storms, we obviously tend to lose income that is the local communities generate from tourism related activities.
Therefore, Namibia also would like to join other countries in calling for sharing of data and putting measures in place to see to it that the problem of sand and dust storm is dealt with collectively and because it has got negative impact on people as well as livelihood.
I thank you, Chair.
I thank the representative of Namibia.
This was the last speaker from member states on my list.
Now I invite United Nations bodies to have the floor.
Sorry, I see, Chad, you have the floor.
Please press the button.
Yes.
Okay.
Okay.
Go ahead, please.
Excellency President.
On behalf of the government of the Republic of Chad, I should like to express our gratitude and our commitment or decided commitment in favor of the objectives of the convention.
CP 17 is an opportunity, and it's a crucial one at that for us to ensure that the health of our land be the pillar and continue to be the pillar of our security, prosperity, and common future Indeed, the protection of our ecosystems provides our access to pastoral lands, rangelands, forests collectively and in a spirit of equity with a strict respect for the environment and for all of our citizens in Chad.
We firmly condemn the overexploitation, the illegal overexploitation of our forests, poaching and desertification, as land degradation.
Chad is stepping up its regulations to put an end to these excesses, which compromise and mortgage the future generations, increasing the vulnerability of our lands and territories.
Dust storms and sandstorms are deteriorating our health and our well being in our cities and towns on behalf of the government of Chad, our government launches a solemn call for a massive support for the Great Green Wall and an increase of reforestation and land restoration efforts, as well as South South cooperation launched throughout our national territories.
Technical support and capacity building, with surveillance stations and early warning systems, all of this to better respond to these realities and to protect the populations.
Mobilizing financing for the climate internationally.
With direct and specific access to the Jeff for financing rural community and Rangeland pastoral community resilience is essential.
Chad is living up to his responsibilities and we invite the international community and our partners, our development partners to remain by our side.
I thank you kindly.
I thank the representative of Chad.
Now I give the floor to United Nations buddies.
While waiting for United national buddies, I will give the floor to Sudan.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
We'd like to thank Mongolia for the excellent organization of this Cop 17.
Sudan suffers in some parts.
From sand and dust storms that could be powerful and impact the livelihoods, property of people and natural resources, including forests and croplands.
This is why it is of the essence to combat SDS locally, nationally, regionally and internationally, and to exchange information, early warning system opportunities and ensure that there is enough technological transfer and support to countries that suffer from these phenomenon.
Welcome back to United national bodies.
Thank you, Chair.
The United Nations Environment Program welcomes the note on the summary of the progress on sand and dust storms.
Their drivers and impacts are transboundary and cut across land degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, and health.
Fragmented responses are insufficient.
This is why cohesion must come first.
The sand and dust work reported here and the global implementation initiative now being launched should build on existing networks, partnerships, and mandates rather than set up parallel ones.
The same synergies that led scarce financing go furthest.
Coordinated this way, sand and dust storms becomes a demonstration of the UN system delivering coherently on an issue no single agency owns.
We therefore welcome the document's explicit recognition of sand and dust storms and wildfires as hazards compounded by diminishing water availability and the drying of soils.
These are concrete, actionable entry points through which countries can operationalize integrated aridity and drought responses, and we encourage that they be carried through consistently into the planning guidance and its follow up.
Highlight strong potential synergies with ongoing UNEP led work.
The UNEP focal points to the UN Coalition on combating sand and dust storms are leading a coalition task team, developing a policy brief on how organizations are working across multiple agendas and frameworks to address the adverse impacts of SDS, a direct complement to the cross framework ambition of this guidance.
The focus should now be practical.
More coordinated country support, compatible indicators and reporting, stronger safeguards and better alignment of finance and capacity building.
UNEP stands ready to support parties, the UN CCD Secretariat, and other MEA processes in taking this forward.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the United Nations Environment Program, and now I give the floor to a specialized agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair, for giving the floor to FAO.
We welcome the continued collaboration with UN CCD parties and the members of the United Nations Coalition on combating sand and dust storms in advancing coordinated action to address the growing challenges posed by sand and dust storms.
Agriculture is among the sectors most affected by sand and dust storms, but it is also part of the solution.
Sustainable management of land, soil and water resources, together with the restoration of degraded agricultural lands and soils, offer one of the most effective pathways to mitigate sand and dust storms at their source, as well as their adverse impacts while strengthening resilience and supporting sustainable agri food systems.
FAO supports countries by providing data, technical guidance, decision support tools, and capacity development.
This support helps countries to identify effective mitigation measures and integrate sustainable land and water management into national policies and resilience strategies.
We have developed practical knowledge products, including the guide to mitigation, adaptation, policy, and risk management measures in agriculture, featuring a database of more than 150 sustainable land management practices, risk assessment and contingency planning methodologies.
FAO continues to be an active member of the United Nations Coalition on combating sand and dust storms to support science based solutions, strengthen partnerships, and coordinated action at global, regional and national level.
The annual commemoration of the International Day on the 12th of July and the Declaration of the United Nations Decade on combating sand and dust storms 2025, 2034 provide a unique opportunity to scale up cooperation, investment, and action.
We commend the efforts of UN CCD Secretariat and the global mechanism in advancing the global implementation initiative for sand and dust storms.
The initiative can provide a practical framework for implementation during the UN decade on combating sand and dust storms.
We remain committed to working with UN CCD, the Coalition, and all partners to translate knowledge into action and help countries reduce wind erosion, mitigate sand and dust storms, strengthen food security, and advance the sustainable development goals.
Thank you, Chair.
I thank the representative of FAO and now I give the floor to Yemen.
Great.
Great.
Mr.
President, first of all, I would like to thank you all for all the efforts made in this COP.
On combating desertification, would like to indicate that Yemen is among the countries that are facing the scourge and the challenge of sand and dust storms, particularly in the coastal areas as well as inland parts of the country.
This has a great impact on local communities and threatens livelihoods and resilience and increases land deterioration and weakens the crops because our lands face the impact of SDS.
Quite regularly.
And this is why we need to cooperate in order to improve our ecosystems and ensure land degradation neutrality and bring back sustainability in the management of land and crops and increase food security.
Yemen is committed to joint action with all partners in such a way as to further combat droughts, increase drought resilience, improve soils, and ensure sustainable livelihoods for rural and coastal communities.
Thank you.
Representative of Yemen, I now give the floor to civil society representative.
Thank you, Chair, Distinguished delegates.
On behalf of civil society and Indigenous peoples, we welcome the Global implementation Initiative for sand and dust storms, including its attention to anthropogenic sources linked to land degradation, unsustainable grazing and deforestation, natural and persistent data gaps, as well as strengthened international cooperation.
Sand and dust storms affect an estimated 330 million people across more than 150 countries with serious consequences for health, livelihoods, mobility, agriculture, infrastructure, and economies.
Those living closest to degrading dry lands are often both the most exposed and the least represented in the institutions responding to these risks.
Global coordination must therefore translate into locally grounded preparedness and protection.
We call on parties to place communities and populations in vulnerable situations at the center of implementation.
And two, recognize indigenous peoples and local communities, pastoralists, smallholder, family farmers, women and youth, not merely as populations at risk, but as knowledge holders, generators of SDS relevant data, and co designers of early warning, information, and response systems.
Formally integrate indigenous and traditional knowledge systems into SDS early warning systems, including the science policy interface Fast Track Assessment methodology and the global and Outlook, alongside scientific and remote sensing data.
Establish formal consultation channels with communities, including through Indigenous Peoples Caucus and local Community Caucus throughout the design, implementation, and monitoring of the Global Implementation Initiative and the UN decade on combating SDS 2025, 2034.
Ensure gender specific indicators under decision 25 cop 16 capture differentiated SDS impacts, including the disproportionate health and post storm burdens borne by women and girls with indigenous and local women structurally involved in indicator setting.
Strengthen cooperation among national institutions, scientific communities, civil society, indigenous peoples, local communities, and pastoralists, and establish structural participation in global SDS forecasting and early warning mechanisms were absent.
Finally, investment must extend beyond monitoring technologies to community awareness, preparedness, local capacity, and locally led solutions.
Early warning systems must be designed from inception with the people they are intended to protect.
We call on two parties to ensure the international cooperation on SDS ultimately delivers practical protection, meaningful participation, and resilience at community level, particularly for those most exposed.
Thank you, Chair.
I thank the representative of civil society.
I see no further requests to speak, so I invite Mr.
Sasha from UCity Secretariat to react to the discussion we had.
The floor is yours, Mr.
Sasha.
Sorry if there are any member states, please Libya, you have the floor.
Go ahead, please.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I would like to affirm that sand and dust storms represent one of the environmental, developmental and health challenges that are ever increasing in our region.
Libya, given its geographic location and its expansive land, is facing SDS quite regularly.
This has a negative impact on public health, on infrastructure, on transportation, on agriculture, and livelihoods of local communities.
In our view, dealing with this phenomenon requires a comprehensive approach based on sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, and improving early warning systems and increasing regional cooperation in monitoring and predicting SDS, as well as evaluating their impact.
We need to take into account the previous Libyan initiatives, including creating a Green Belt.
Libya here would like to reaffirm its readiness to cooperate with the various programs under the UN CCD, and we are ready to be an active player in elaborating regional and international mechanisms for data sharing, early warning systems and implementing programs for land and pastoral restoration in such a way as to attenuate the impact of SDS.
We call for increasing financial and technical cooperation for affected countries to enable them to implement effective national action plans that take into account the capacities and circumstances of every nation.
Libya is of the view that international cooperation within the framework of full respect of sovereignty is the only way to further improve our action against SDS.
We're looking forward to a COP providing further concrete support to the most affected countries.
Thank you.
The Representative of Libya, I saw before that the Representative of Tajakistan want requesting for the floor.
Do you want to speak? Yes, Taj, Ian, you have the floor.
May proceed.
Distinguished Chair, Distinguished colleagues.
Thank you for giving me the floor.
For Tajikistan and for the other countries of Central Asia too, dust and sandstorms are becoming very serious problems.
Formerly in Tajikistan, we would have just one or two dust or sandstorms and then there would be rain which would calm it down.
Now we're seeing some 70 days this year of sand and dust storms.
Given this increase in the problem, I have to note that sand and dust storms are slowing down the growth of vegetation, and this has led to a drop in the harvest of our agricultural crops.
So I have some proposals to make to strengthen the scientific research in this sphere.
So that we can develop new instruments as we believe that the current ones are not sufficient, we need to have more specific tools for specific action, and then secondly, to increase investment into this area.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Tajakistan and this was the last speaker on my list.
I see no further requests to speak.
I will give the floor to Mr.
Sasha from Secretariat to react to discussion we've had.
The floor is yours, Mr.
Sasha.
Thank you, Chair.
I appreciate the comments and the recommendations from all the parties and observers, and we'll be happy to answer any questions in the contact group.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Sasha.
Now I invite the committee to turn its attention to the issue of range lands and pastoralists.
For this issue, the committee has before it documents ICCD slash cop 17 slash ten, and again, ICCD slash Cp 17 slash 12.
I give now the floor to Mr.
Sasha from Secretariat to introduce the documents ICCDs cop 17 slash ten.
Thank you, Chair.
Distinguished delegates.
Document ICCD Cop 17 slash ten provides a summary of the activities undertaken by the Secretariat and the global mechanism as requested in Decision 29, Cop 16 on range lands and pastoralist.
Here, I would like to highlight some of the activities.
With the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Secretariat organized three regional dialogues on sustainable range lands and pastoralism in February of 2026.
These explored how evidence based range solutions can be systematically embedded in climate, biodiversity, and land restoration strategies.
In collaboration with the Steering Committee of the Iterational Year of Range Lands and Pastoralists, the Secretariat organized the Silk Road caravan.
This communications campaign encompassed a symbolic and physical 6,000 kilometer journey along the fabled Silk Road to highlight the value of rangelands and their stewards.
The caravan will make its grand entrance to Cop 17 on the morning of Land and People Day, the 26th of August and commemorated during a special high level event on rangelands and Pastoralists that same day.
The Secretariat has published three information briefs to showcase regional issues and perspectives on range land degradation, sustainable pastoralism, and landscape restoration.
A fourth brief focused on women herders and pastoralists.
The Secretary contributed to the report entitled Range Lands Rising, led by the Economics of Land Degradation and other Partners.
This report will be launched during Finance Day to support the Range Lands Flagship Initiative and highlight the opportunities and mechanisms for investing in Rangeland Restoration.
The Secretary also contributed to the WWF publication from Roots to Riches, Priority, Policy and Investment Decisions for grasslands and savannas, launched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in October 2025.
Led by the global mechanism, the Range lands flagship Initiative is a multi partner global initiative which aims to increase investments to achieve land degradation neutrality by conserving, sustainably managing, and restoring range lands.
The initiative will be launched during Finance Day, 24th of August, featuring its three operational components of knowledge generation, resource mobilization, and institutional collaboration.
The objective is to develop the evidence base and the cooperation mechanisms for increased public and private investment in the range lands and their communities.
Draft elements for a decision on range lands and pastoralists are contained in document ICCD cop 17 slash 12 for the consideration of the parties.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Mr.
Sasha.
I now open the floor in connection with the reports that was just introduced by Mr.
Sasa.
So delegation, the floor is open.
I see Chile, you have the floor.
Thank you, Chair.
Plans cover more than one quarter of the Earth's land surface, generate economic value and are essential for carbon sequestration, regulation of the water cycle, biodiversity conservation, livestock production, and migratory wildlife species.
In this context, Chile considers it essential to develop legal regulatory and policy frameworks for their sustainable management, strengthen their governance and tenure security, and support participation and technical cooperation.
We propose promoting synergies among the RIO conventions and the ransom convention, as well as nature based solution for the integrated management of rangelands, together with recognition of regenerative livestock production and pastoralism as part of resilient food systems.
In this regard, Chile supports efforts to continue developing instruments, knowledge, partnerships, and initiatives that contribute to conserving and restoring ranch lands and strengthening the livelihoods associated with them.
I thank the representative of Chile.
Now I give the floor to China.
Thank you, Chair.
China affirms the achievements of the IYPRP in raising global awareness of the importance of rangeland ecosystem and petrol and pastures, as well as in promoting the international exchange cooperation.
China encourages parties, international organizations, and stakeholders to continue advancing the implementation of the results of the year, as well as enhancing the restoration, protection, sustainable management, and resilience building of rangeland.
We hope that just like the International Day for the Prevention of desertification, more research will be used to help establish the International Day of Rangeland as a commemorative day for rangeland and pathways so as to continue to improve the awareness of this issue.
This morning at the meeting, we support The idea of establishing initiative arrangement proposed by the Ancient group, which was well received, it shows this is a common aspiration of all of us.
We hope that through our common efforts, we will promote the establishment of a commemorative day so that the pastors will have a festival of their own.
This will be an important milestone as an important extension of the results of the International and will be used to increase the attention to the issue.
Thank you.
Representative of China, now I give the floor to European Union.
Thank you, Chair.
The European Union and its 27 member states express our sincere gratitude to the Secretariat for its thorough and forward looking draft decision on rangelands and pastoralists.
This International of rangelands and pastoralists has been a pivotal moment in bringing the global attention to these ecosystems and their stewards that they so richly deserve.
We reaffirm our commitment to the protection, conservation, sustainable management and restoration of rangelands, recognizing their indispensable role in combating desertification and land degradation and increasing drought resilience.
The European Union and its 27 member states would strongly support integrating conservation alongside restoration in line with UNCCD Cop 16 Decision 29 and paragraph two.
Prevention and protection are more cost effective and must precede restoration efforts.
We recall the need to adopt sustainable range land management as a holistic framework, ensuring coherence with the Kunming Montreal global biodiversity framework and nationally determined contributions.
Pastoral systems rooted in mobility, adaptive management, and traditional knowledge, represent resilient and sustainable systems.
They deserve our full support.
To achieve this, it is essential to secure land tenure rights for pastoralist communities by recognizing customary and collective land governance systems in line with the FAO voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests.
The European Union and its member states believe this decision presents an opportunity to address critical gaps that are too often been overlooked in global discussions on rangelands.
Specifically, we must integrate themes that are vital to the long term resilience of pastoral systems, such as education and training for pastoralist communities, particularly for youth and women who are the future of these traditions.
We should also highlight the urgent need to conserve animal genetic diversity, which is the bedrock of resilient livestock systems in the face of climate change.
We should break down the silos.
Sustainable rangeland management is intrinsically linked to climate action, biodiversity conservation, and land degradation neutrality.
That is why the European Union and its member states urge that synergies among the three Rio conventions be strengthened, ensuring that sustainable rangeland management is fully embedded in national climate strategies, biodiversity action plans, and land use policies.
In summary, Chair, the EU and its member states broadly support the draft decision, and we propose targeted adjustments to reaffirm the importance of conservation restoration, strengthen the role of pastoralists in governance and decision making and explicitly integrate often overlooked themes such as education, genetic diversity, and youth access to pastoral professions.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the European Union, and now I give the floor to Uruguay.
Distinguished delegates.
The natural environments and rangelands are some of the most important part of environments.
They support a great deal the rangelands, that is, of our livestock and other essential components of our biodiversity.
The interaction between livestock and the rangelands have become part of our cultural heritage and also part of our story and identity in our rural communities.
However, we recognize that in recent decades the loss and degradation of rangelands has increased.
We must design and strengthen public policies to preserve them, to restore them, and to maintain them sustainably, aligning productive patterns with biodiversity and ecosystems.
These lines, we appreciate the work of the Secretariat in drafting the document, Cp 1710, and we hail and welcome the efforts developed to operationalize or implement the content, including capacity building regional workshops and knowledge sharing.
We support the draft decision on range lands and pastoralists and the work being done for range lands.
We also commend Mongolia for the leadership and for the lessons learned in putting this item on the agenda.
Thank you.
Here at the COP.
We encourage ongoing efforts to recognize the role of rangelands, supporting and valuing the role of them in sustainable development.
We have success stories that show that it is possible to preserve biodiversity and promote livestock, mitigating climate change and generating synergies among the Rio Convention, allowing for actions that contribute to the strengthening of these synergies, recognizing the role of sustainable development and restoration of degraded rangelands for our ecosystems.
With mitigation adaptation to climate change, drought resilience and water security are all key parts of this.
We also believe that it is necessary to broaden access to financing for capacity building, technical and scientific cooperation, and technology transfer that allow for extension programs for livestock workers to share knowledge, including monitoring systems for decision making that are evidence based.
President, to conclude, I should like to mention that in your role as COVID president in this year of rangelands, Uruguay in its role, we'll be organizing in Latin America and the Caribbean an event on range lands and pastoralists in order to help develop local public policies, foster horizontal dialogue with local and regional scientific knowledge, with traditional knowledge, raising awareness among societies and consumers regarding the role of those working livestock in carbon, water, and diversity.
Thank you very biodiversity.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, the representative of Uruguay.
Now I give the floor to Botswana.
Thank you, Chair.
Chairperson, distinguished delegates, on behalf of Africa Group, I'm honored to present our United position at the 17th session of the Conference of Purches to the UNCCD.
Africa's frages cover more than 60% of our continent.
They sustain our 268 million pastoralists and agro pastoralists, support globally significant biodiversity and provide critical ecosystem services.
Yet despite their immense value, they remain historically under invested.
We therefore call for a fundamental shift in global investment priorities to operationalize decision Geng nine CP 16 across all ENCCD programs, financing mechanism, and reporting frameworks, national action programs, NDCs biodiversity strategies and route plans must be must embed sustainable range land management with a stronger syngies between land degradation neutrality targets, national climate adaptation strategies, and then global biodiversity framework.
Range lands and grasslands must be recognized as distinct categories and COP decisions to reflect their unique management realities.
We therefore call for strengthened scientific research and evidence based monitoring of rangeland health depradation and restoration Branch data must be fully integrated into national and global agent frameworks to close knowledge gaps and guide sound policy and investment decisions.
Africa recognizes flagships or global coalition for Range lands and pastoralists as a strategic partner and propose the establishment of an African investment platform to mobilize blended finance and promote bankable restoration projects.
Platform to mobilize blended finance and promote bankable private sector investment must be encouraged in great green bonds, ecosystem markets, climate risk insurance, and incentives with both opportunities spinning climate smart agriculture, dryland forestry, ecotourism, indigenous seas, renewable energy, and biodiversity.
Distinguished delegates, Africa's strange lands, and dryland forests are interconnected socio ecological system.
Restoration must be holistic to address grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and forests through silver pastoral systems, assisted natural regeneration, watershed rehabilitation and biodiversity conservation.
We reaffirm that indigenous people, pastoralists, women, and youth are the custodians of Africa's rangelands.
Their full and meaningful participation and planning, implementation and benefit sharing is non negotiable.
Indigenous knowledge must be sustainable, passed to the next generation to safeguard livelihoods and cultural continuity.
Chairperson, let me underscore that resilient rangeland economy must secure restoration, food security, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods, while ensuring indigenous knowledge is sustainably passed to the next generation.
I thank you Chair.
I thank the representative of Botswana.
Now I give the floor to Republic of Korea.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
The Republic of Korea recognized the important role of range land in supporting food security, conserving biodiversity, addressing climate change, and strengthening their livelihood resilience of local community.
Given that range land cover about 54% of the world land surface, and that a significant portion of them are degraded or at the risk of degradation.
The conservation, sustainable management, and restoration are essential to achieve LDN.
Range land restriction should not be assessed, so in terms of increased vegetation cover or expelled deforestation, it requires an integrated approach that respect the unique ecological characteristics of range land, including natural grassland and savanna, reduced extensive land conservation and degradation.
And restores soil health and water cycle.
It is also important to ensure that pastoralists and local communities participate not merely as beneficiary, but as key steward of the sustainable management of range land.
In particular, the International Year of Range and Pastoralists 2026 provide an important opportunity to translate growing international attempt to range land into concrete policy, investment, and action on the ground.
This requests science based management and restoration, respect for the right and traditional knowledge of pastoralist, inclusive governance, and sustained financial support.
Through the Chang Initiative, the Republic of Korea is contributing to advocacy and awareness rising on range land policy and plans to support the development of sustainable arrangement management and restoration project in region, including in Mongolia and Central Asia.
The Republic of Korea will remain committed to conserving sustainable managing and restoring range and through international cooperation and domestic policy implementation and to linking the report with the achievement of LDN and enhance resilience of local communities.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea.
Now I give the floor to Uganda.
Uganda.
Thank you.
No problem.
Now, I give the floor to Morocco.
President President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
The Kingdom of Morocco hails the work of the Secretariat for range lands and pastoralists and we associate ourselves with the statement made on behalf of the African group.
Sir, Morocco reaffirms the strategic importance of the rangelands for food security, subsistence for pastoralist communities, biodiversity, and drought resilience, sustainable management and the restoration are essential in the fight against desertification and land degradation.
We welcome the flag shift program on range lands on three pillars, knowledge, investment, and institutions.
This approach is reflected as well in the strategies and national programs in Morocco that prioritize integrated systems for managing range lands with different actors and different communities concern being brought in, focusing on research and follow up the restoration of range lands and also on the use of satellite data to address drought.
This also, depending on the context, allows for compensation mechanisms or support mechanisms for pastoralists with restoration efforts in range lands, bearing in mind the realities of the concerned communities.
These efforts are within a legislative framework and institutional framework that is dedicated to the management of range lands.
Sir, the bearing in mind of realities and experiences on the national level can nourish the work on sustainable management and range restoration with an approach that focuses on environmental factors and the realities of pastoralists, the kingdom of Morocco remains favorable for ongoing exchanges with a constructive spirit marked by cooperation.
Much obliged Morocco.
Now I give the floor to Zimbabwe.
Chair.
Zimbabwe aligns itself with a statement by Botswana on behalf of Africa.
Bubble recognizes that they recognize resilience as a support system for pastoralism and interconnectedness of pastoralism with agriculture and drilling forests.
A holistic approach is recommended for successful management of systems that support pastoralism, which are pioneer ding forests in most cases.
On the resilient flex initiatives, as Bubble reiterated that ding forests make up roughly 27% of the world's forest area and underpin food security, resilient agriculture, livestock systems, water regulation, and raw ads for over 2 billion people.
SMAC is therefore calling for action towards integrated management of the different land use systems, drawing lessons from the T and Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program, funded under the seventh cycle of the Global Environmental Facility in the wake of the committee on forest and aggressive pastoral Ss working group.
With countries facing rising average temperatures, declining rainfall and land degradation, Maintaining forest and trees alongside productive range lands and agriculture land is central to drought resilience, land restoration, and raw rules.
Government of Zimbabwe therefore strongly supports the focus on resilience and patrol in this international year of range s and pastures.
We strongly feel that d forest entries within range s and aggressive pastoral systems be recognized alongside grass and soil as key assets of forest that restoration investments reflect the world landscape.
In conclusion, we raise the need for one, building scientific evidence to assist in the design of national level guidelines and tools critical for addressing knowledge gaps in rent and management.
Secondly, supporting resource mobilization efforts for national level initiatives that strive to improve local livelihoods and the stewardship of rents, I submit.
I thank the representative of Zimbabwe and now give the floor to Iraq.
Sans.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
The delegation of Iraq supports the promotion of sustainable management of range lands as an important part of the efforts to combat desertification and addressing land redation drought resilience.
We call for promoting financial and technical support capacity building to implement projects in connection with the restoration of range lands and encouraging exchange of expertise and best practices supporting communities that are that rely on range lands.
We call for international initiatives to promote investment in the restoration and management of angements and capitalizing on the momentum achieved through the international year on rangelands and pastoralists.
Thank you.
Now, I give the floor to Oman.
Mr.
Chair, the Sultant of Oman welcomes this document that reiterates the importance of sustainable management of rangelands, as well as land degraded land restoration and promoting investment and exchange of expertise to this end.
In this respect, the Sultant Oman would like to review its international experience in the area of range lands in the governate of far as part of our efforts to preserve range lands and promote their capacity to recover and to limit land degradation, to support sustainability of ecosystems and livelihoods of local communities, especially the Oman has the largest area of range lands in the province of Zafar.
Oman also believes that our experience is a practical example that can be utilized and expertise could be exchanged to this especially in view of the challenges related to land degradation and climate change.
Oman also welcomes the pioneer initiatives on range lands.
We look forward to promoting cooperation and knowledge sharing among states in the area of range land restoration.
And management in a sustainable fashion to contribute to neutrality of land degradation.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Oman.
Now, I give the floor to Sudan.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Range runs for Sudan are one of the main livelihoods for population in our country and they also are economic ecologically important.
They contribute to national income and tourism.
We have around 68.6 million hectars throughout our areas in Sudan that provide nutrition for 150 million livestock.
And despite their importance in terms of livelihoods and ecology, but they continue to face challenges including climate change, drought, desertification, and loss of many species that are also ecologically friendly.
Livelihoods are based on rangelands in Sudan.
Pastoralists continue to move from one place to another seeking water, but there are also conflicts, and therefore, we need to provide sufficient support for the restoration of rangelands and conduct scientific research and also combat invasive species.
There should be instruments to resolve disputes on range lands.
Given that, this activity goes beyond national boundaries, there should be protocols to organize transboundary range, um, pastoral activities I think this is an activity that dates back to a long time ago.
So we need to utilize indigenous knowledge and we support, in this case, the statement of Botswana on behalf of Africa.
F to Algeria.
Such Cedar.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
The delegation of Algeria, thanks to the Secretariat for the document ICCD Cop 1710 on range lands and pastoralists.
We commended the efforts of the global mechanism and the secretary since CP 16 in this area.
Mr.
Chair.
Range lands have a great importance in Algeriia given the large area of rangelands in Algeriia, this constitutes an important source of livelihood for local population.
They play a critical role in food security and biodiversity and alleviating the impact of climate change as well as adaptation.
We share the concern expressed by the document with regard to the degraded rangelands because of lack of organization and sufficient efforts.
This also aggravates the vulnerability of pastoralists.
Therefore, Algeria for decades has accumulated experience in terms of addressing the degradation of range lands and other lands.
We stabilize sand dunes and rehabilitate rangelands.
We have the project under the rehabilitation of the green wall that includes measures to support pastoral activities in a sustainable manner and reserving vegetation and also in strengthening drought resilience and efforts to combat climate change.
We welcome the initiative on range lands, and we commend the leading role of Mongolia, as well as the agreement or the UNCCD we support the three pillars, including knowledge, investment, and institutions.
We commend the efforts made to have a global standard to categorize range land degradation and improve livelihoods, including taking into account social and economic factors in addition to scientific aspects.
We call for mobilizing financial additional financial resources from the private and public sectors to support range land rehabilitation member states, especially in Africa, that has a double burden given the certification in climate change.
Inclusing, the delegation of Algeris supports the initiative on range lands, and we hope that the outcome of this session would promote the ability of state parties, especially countries that have vulnerable range lands to preserve this critical source of income.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Algeria.
Now I give the floor to Cambodia.
Mr.
Chair, Cambodia welcome this report on the ranchland and pastoralism.
While our country is not defined by the vast arid ranchland, we are home to seasonal flooded grassland surrounding the les lake and upland area that are vital to livestock rearing community, including indigenous groups.
For Cambodia, pastoralism is intrinsically linked to the resilience of our smallholder farmer.
These grasslands serve as a critical grasing ground during the dry season and as the natural buffer again the flooding and drought.
Therefore, Cambodia view the work of the Secretarat and the global mechanism on sustainable grassing management as high Equilovan.
Cambodia called for the targeted technical assistance to support community led ranch land management, specifically, Cambodia needs support in one, integrating traditional pastoral knowledge with modern land use planning and second, securing a communal land tenure progressing zone, which directly prevent conversion to unsustainable agriculture.
Cambodia look forward to practical tool and financing mechanism that empower local community to restore this vital landscape.
I sent you research here.
I thank the representative of Cambodia.
Now I give the floor to Brazil.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Brazil considers this issue of particular relevance.
We add ourselves to those countries that know that 2026 is being celebrated as the International Year of Rageilence and pastoralism, providing an important opportunity to highlight the contribution of sustainable pastoralism and rage land management to land depredation neutrality and resilience.
In this regard, we would like to make reference to pastoralism from indigenous people and local communities or oranges and their role in sustainable use of resilience.
Brazil has policies aimed at restoring integrated pastures, increase agricultural productivity, and promote resilient production systems.
We see the discussions at Cp 17 as an opportunity to further recognize agriculture's role as part of the solution to desertification, biodiversity laws, and climate change adaptation, while taking into account national circumstance and preserving parts flexibility to determine their own policies and approach.
Brazil recognized the important contribution of the productive restoration of degraded pastures and technological innovation to achieving the objectives of this convention.
In this regard, we would also like to highlight the importance of scientific cooperation as an instrument to implementation.
The development and dissemination of technologies adapted to diverse ecological conditions require the active engagement of scientific and research institutions whose contribution should be a knowledge.
Brazil stands ready to engage constructively with the parts, indigenous people, local communities, and civil society during CP 17.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
I thank the representative of Brazil.
Now I give the floor to Yemen.
In the name of God, the compassionate members fair, we would like to thank you and we thank the Secretariat.
Yemen has a large area of rangelands that contribute to providing food and livestocks.
Range lands also contribute to striking the natural balance of biodiversity and the range land area in Yemen constitute 57% 30 million hectars In Yemen, there is also 26 million animals that communities rely on to improve livelihoods for local communities.
However, there are also problems such as land tenure and private ownership.
These are obstacles standing in the way of optimal use of range lands.
There is also the problem of The weak voice of pastoralists, their voices are not heard by decision makers.
I would like also to refer to a significant problem facing Yemen, which is the island of Soktra Yemeni island that is part of the international world heritage.
And it is one of the most significant world reserves as in accordance with UNSCO records.
But there is also a low level of precipitation that caused drought on the island and there isn't sufficient capacity to address these challenges.
This has also led to low productivity in the area of Dairy products.
This has impacted nutrition for women and children in particular and has also led to stunting.
There is also climate change that has greatly affected our resources when it comes to plants.
Many trees and forests have died, and we have lost many rare trees.
In Yemen, we appeal to the Secretariat to render technical support and financial support to protect range lands and pastoralists.
We support the initiative on range lands to enable local communities to protect animal resources and the role of pastoralist.
Thank you.
The floor to South Africa.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
We fully support this statement by Botswana on behalf of the African Group.
Range land cover nearly 75% of our country and provide current ecosystem services and support livestock production while still facing significant degradation pressures.
Mr.
Chair, we recognize and acknowledge the multifaceted importance of Rangeland for indigenous people, local communities, women, youth, and other people in vulnerable and disadvantaged situation.
We believe there's a need to accelerate sustainable land and water management practices to support diversified livelihoods, cultural and social identity and climate resilience.
Mr.
Chair, distinguished delegates, we advocate for the national and global strategies that allow for content specific implementation of sustainable range land management practices to address the impacts of DDD in recognition of interrelationship with an integrated implementation of other thematic areas such as drought resilience, um, gender, sand and dust storm to address key challenges that are related to food and water insecurity, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
Mr.
Chair, we further welcome the work done by the global mechanism in relation to knowledge generation, awareness, and partnership on the promotion of the value of healthy, gt and responsible stewardship by pastoralists and regilt communities.
South Africa is of the view that there's a need to intensify practical capacity building, mobilization of technical and financial resources for the development and implementation of project and programs that support regilt management and pastoralist.
Mr.
Chair, we further emphasize the need to empower pastoralist and resilt communities as stewardship of the land.
Through the improvement of livelihoods, creation of sustainable supply chains and market access and community based led project and program.
In conclusion, Mr.
Chair, we are of the view that supion financial resources from all sources will be required for the implementation of sustainable range land management restoration practices, and country level land improvement initiative.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
I thank the representative of South Africa and now I give the floor to Mongolia.
Thank you, Chair.
Mongolia strongly supports the adoption of the decision on range lands and pastoral lists.
Range lands cover over 80% of Mongolia's territory and sustain our livestock economy, rural livelihoods, food systems, and nomadic cultural heritage.
At the same time, Mongolia's national assessment found that approximately 65% of monitored range lands showed some level of degradation.
This demonstrates the urgent need to move from isolated interventions towards coordinated landscape scale action.
Mongolia has made important progress.
We have established a nationwide Rangeland health monitoring system, expanded community based pasture management, seasonal grazing plans, and strengthened cooperation among herders, scientists, and local authorities.
Mongolia has also championed the United Nations International Year of Range Lands and Pastoralists, helping to bring global political attention to these historically undervalued ecosystem and their c Mongolia's experience reflects a much wider global reality.
Range lands cover more than half of the world's land surface and support the livelihoods of approximately 500 million people, yet they remain among the most undervalued and under invested ecosystems.
Although ecologically and pastoral systems differ across regions, countries face many common challenges, including land degradation, climate change, drought, declining mobility, insecure access to resources, and insufficient investment.
From Mongolia's steps to range landscapes across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, conserving, sustainably managing, and restoring rangelands is indispensable to achieving land degradation neutrality.
Range lands must therefore be recognized as vital natural capital and essential ecological infrastructure.
Investment in their sustainable management can deliver benefits simultaneously for the UNCCD, the Paris Agreement, the Konman Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the sustainable development goals.
Mongolia calls upon parties to integrate range lengths into national LDN targets and relevant policies.
Implementation should be supported by adequate and accessible finance, reliable ground based monitoring, scientific and traditional knowledge, secure access to land and resources, and the meaningful participation of pastoralists, particularly women and youth.
We encourage parties, financial institutions, development partners to use the range lands and Pastoral flagship Initiative to connect national experience with global action.
It should serve as a practical platform for cooperation among range land countries sharing science and pastoral traditional knowledge, developing project pipelines, and scaling up locally proven solutions.
Mongolia stands ready to work with all partners to transform the growing global recognition of range lands into coordinated action and measurable benefits for land and people.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Mongolia.
Just here, I want to recall that we are running out of time.
We have less than one half hour and we have on the list 11 requests of the floor.
Distinguished delegates, please keep your statement brief and accurate so we could hear from as many speaker as possible.
Now, I give the floor to Bina.
Please be brief in your statement.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Madam Thank you, Delegate Benin.
We'd like to express appreciation of this CP 17 work on range lands and we also would like to commend the Secretariat for the work undertaken.
This work on rangelands is an essential pillar of ecosystem resilience and food security as well as subsistence for thousands of pastoralist communities.
However, given agricultural pressure on lands, it is urgent that we strengthen knowledge and protection of these zones, the issue of rangelands is economic and social in nature.
The increasing pressure on land and the reduction of pastoralist lands and rangelands has brought greater tensions on livestock and pastoralists.
These tensions are linked to uncontrolled displacements of herds, which has brought damage to agriculture and this has created a greater fragility of communities.
This reality shows that managing range lands cannot be addressed except just the angle of land exploitation, but rather also as an issue of national stability.
This should also bear in mind.
The complex uses of lands.
Management should bear in mind equitable access to natural resources as well as the strengthen of links between communities but inhales the stressing in the convention of this topic and we hail the African group for its full participation and meaningful participation of local communities and those working in livestock that are sharing their knowledge and experience, which is crucial and in our planning and the implementation and follow up of our work that should be considered to be a ynquin factor.
Sir Benin nationally has numerous actions underway to bring better management of range lands and relations between agriculture and livestock, including agreements between these groups on resources, aimed at reducing conflict.
These efforts are aimed at also addressing coexistence.
The different stakeholders.
We recognize that there should be strengthened efforts to bring sustainable management.
It is for that reason that the multi stake work should help to overcome the difficult situations, finding solutions that are agreed upon.
We're also working to promote sustainable pastoralus work and land restoration of degraded land.
Benin reaffirms the three principles that should guide our work, respect and restoration for land.
Benin also recognizes that the restoration of range lands, it comes with investment scientific research and the involvement and effective participation of the concerned communities.
We call for an implementation.
Of the decision 16 so that these communities can increasingly be recognized in national policies, investment and such actions.
Thank you very much.
I thank the representative of Bina.
I distinguished delegate, I will close the list of speakers just before after the next speaker.
Now I give the floor to Tajkistan Be brief, please.
Distinguished Chair.
Tajikistan has 93% of mountainous territory.
We have the 10 million hectors.
And a population which lives mostly in the mountainous regions.
We have 3.9 million hectas of pastoral land, but unfortunately, some 90% of it is degraded land.
Given this situation, we have some proposals to increase an exchange of opinion and experience and to step up an exchange of technology between countries.
We support the establishment of the International Day of rangelands and pastoralists and We believe we need a comprehensive, complex approach to this issue.
We need to look at human resources management because unfortunately, young people are not becoming involved in these activities.
We need to find ways to involve young people so they're active in resolving our problems relating to rangelands.
Representative from Tajekistan now I give the floor to Saudi Arabia.
Shukran Seda.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I would like to thank the Secretariat of the convention, and we seize the opportunity to speak about the state of rage lands in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rage lands in Saudi Arabia are among the largest environmental sectors in the kingdom.
These cover about 146 million hectares.
That is about 70% of the total surface area of Saudi Arabia.
But unfortunately, over the past decades, these rage lands have suffered deterioration.
Severe deterioration and medium deterioration as well.
So multiple levels of deterioration.
And this is why when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced Vision 2030 back in 2016, We started restoring our ecosystems, and we established a Ministry of Environment and various specialized environmental centers, including the National Center for improving the vegetative cover and combating desertification, which is in charge of protecting age lands and developing them in a way that makes them sustainable.
And this is conducted in cooperation with various sectors, including the Royal reserves, which have been established in various locations across the kingdom.
This is in addition to the natural biomes reserves.
And Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in 2021, has announced the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims at planting 10 billion trees and protecting a millions of hectors, many of which happen in rage lands.
And then we announce also the Green Middle East Initiative, which targets the planting of 20 million trees and protecting large swaths of lands which do happen in most parts in rage lands.
This is part of our efforts to increase regional and international cooperation efforts.
This has been followed by a series of initiatives, including hosting by a Rad of Cop 16 of the UNCCD through which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had announced a number of initiatives that support sustainable action in combating desertification and droughts and supporting rage lands.
And conserving these range lands from deterioration or further deterioration.
This is why the Kingdom welcomes all efforts, including the decision that your presidency is about to adopt.
We thank you very much, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports this decision.
Thank you.
Saudi Arabia, just as I said before, the list is closed now, and I give the floor to Bhutan.
Bhutan, you have the floor.
Thank you, Chair and thank you to the UNC Secretariat for the report.
For Bhutan, ins are far more than grazing areas.
They are living landscapes that sustain pastoral communities, livestock, biodiversity, water regulation, carbon storage, and unique highland cultures.
Their health directly affects not only mountain communities, but also downstream populations.
Our traditional grazing land, known as ambro support pastoral livelihoods across Bhutan's highlands.
We have learned that sustainable ranch land management must go hand in hand with secure user rights, strong community institutions, and recognition of pastoralists as partners and stewards of restoration, not merely beneficiaries.
Bhutan is therefore strengthening community centered resilient governance while combining indigenous knowledge with modern technology.
Through participatory mapping and the Thumro More than 8,000 acres of pasture have been mapped, helping bring traditional pastoral knowledge into contemporary land use planning and range land management.
At the same time, Bhutan is investing in the broader well being and vitality of our highland communities.
Through initiatives such as Royal Highland Festival, we celebrate and promote the unique culture and traditions of Highland communities, showcase their livestock and local products, strengthen market and livelihood opportunities, and draw national and international attention to the challenges and aspirations of our pastoral communities.
Our experience has taught us that the future of range lands cannot be secured by restoring grasslands alone.
We must also sustain the people, cultures, and livelihoods that have stewarded this landscapes for generations.
In this regard, Bhutan wishes to highlight three priorities.
First, recognize and empower pastoralists as custodian of land, knowledge, and biodiversity and strengthen their participation in decision making and range land governance.
Second, invest integrated range land restoration through sustainable grazing, invest in species management, improved soil and water conservation, climate resilient livestock production, and sustainable value chains.
Third, create viable economic and social opportunities and enable young people to remain in or return to pastoral areas while recognizing the broader public benefits provided by mountain residents, including water regulation, biodiversity conservation, and carbon storage.
These benefits should be better reflected in international cooperation and financing.
Resand is truly restored only when its ecosystem is healthy and the people who have stewarded it for generations can sustain a dignified and a viable livelihood from it.
Therefore, let us restore not only the grasslands, but also the social, economic, and ecological systems that make pastoralism resilient.
I thank you Chair.
I thank you representative of Bhutan.
Distinguish delegates, as I said before, I kindly request you to be brief in your statements.
Now I give the floor to Peru.
Thank you.
Peru welcomes the leadership of Mongolia in hosting Cp 17 and elevating the global profile of range lands and the pastoral communities that steward them.
Our presence here offers a timely opportunity to share Peru's experience from the high Andes and to underline the critical importance of grasslands and sustainable pastors for land restoration, eliminate resilience, biodiversity, and human well being.
In Peru, high Andean grassland, the Puna cover approximately 15 or 18 million acres, representing nearly 45% of the country agricultural surface.
These natural pastures form the foundation of the traditional pastoral system that have sustainable Andean communities for millennials.
Central to this system are the South American camelics, alpacas, llamas, pecunas, and Guanacos.
Peru is home to the world's largest alpaca populations, more than 85% of the global total, alongside the significant numbers of the llamas, an important population of the wild camels.
These animals are unique, adapted to the harsh condition of the ends and play an essential ecological role in maintaining the health and productivity of the national natural pastures.
Peru remains firmly committed to the conservation and sustainable management of this ecosystem.
We recognize that healthy natural pastures are not only a source of fiber, food, and income for tens of thousands of pastoral families, but also vital for the weather regulation, carbon storage, and the protection of the unique and the ambient biodiversity.
Our national policies reflect this understanding.
Despite these important efforts in Peru, pastoral communities continue to face significant challenges, including the eliminate variability, pasture degradation, limited access to markets and service, and the need for stronger recognition of this traditional knowledge and mobility practice, improving the situation of these communities and therefore a priority for Peru.
Beeru in this spirit in the context of the International Year of range lands and passers, Peru proposed that cop 17 prioritize structured dialogue and relence and pass with the clear objective of moving from discussion to concrete actions.
Peristan ready to share this experience, learn from others and work collaboratively with parties, international organizations, cyber society, and pastoral representatives to ensure that the outcomes of the CP 17 deliver tangible benefits for the world's Gransand and the people who depends on them.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Peru.
Now I give the floor to Uzbekistan.
Please be brief.
Thank you, Chair.
Distinguished College, ladies and gentlemen.
We consider sustainable range of management and the well being of pasterus communities to be closely linked to addressing desertification, land degradation, drought, climate change, food security, and biodiversity conservation.
We particularly welcome recognizing operange land as important ecosystems that support livelihood, biodiversity, carbon six cc and ecosystem services.
For Uzbekistan ranges are not simply agricultural land.
They are ecosystems that support food production, rural livelihood, biodiversity, and ecological connectivity across our dry land landscapes.
This issue is of particular importance of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan supports strengthening reg regional cooperation on range land restoration and sustainable management, improving pastoral livelihood and introducing modern monitoring and management approaches.
We highly appreciate the Rangeland flagship initiative.
We also support greater mobilization of financial resources and stronger public, private community partnership to scale up sustainable range land management and restore.
Uzbekistan supports this document and stands ready to contribute to strengthening regional cooperation on sustainable regional management and the restoration of degraded land, particularly in Central Asia.
Thank you for your attention.
I thank the Representative of Uzbekistan.
Now we give the floor to Syrian Arab Republic.
As Cheer, ladies and gentlemen.
The rural areas in the Syrian Arab Republic are more than half of the whole national territory.
And this is closely linked, of course, to food security and to the maintenance of traditions and local knowledge.
Therefore, we pay great attention to All that the convention is doing to maintain range lands and pastoral lands, and we need to make sure that we preserve local pastoralist traditions, in particular, given the challenges of climate change.
Chair, all efforts deployed to address these challenges require greater implementation.
They require us to use new technology.
Resources need to be mobilized in an optimal manner and targeted clearly towards achieving the specific objectives in the different local communities.
Our efforts in Syria aim mostly to maintain pastoral lands and rangelands and pastoral knowledge.
Which requires financial resources and support through national and international cooperation.
This was the last speaker from member states.
Now we will move to the intergovernmental organization.
I give the floor to International Center for Integrated Mountain Development.
The floor is yours.
Go ahead, please.
International Center for Integrated Mountain Developments.
Are you here? There is a technical issue, I think.
We'll move to ASN and we'll come back to you.
ASN, International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Go ahead, please.
I I think there is a technical issue.
Thank you, Chair.
I see in applauds the progress made by parties, the Secretariat, and the global mechanism in implementing Decision 29 of cop 16 and is pleased to have contributed to several of the activities highlighted in this report, both to raise awareness, and to generate knowledge on this critical issue.
We invite parties to build on this foundation to embed rangelands and grassland specific commitments within their LDN targets and to promote sustainable pastoralism and management approaches and to integrate these actions into national planning instruments.
Such practices are vital to confronting the biodiversity, climate, and desertification crisis, and rangeland restoration should be recognized as a valuable contribution towards national progress under target two of the Coming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Further, noting similar commitments to halt deforestation, IUCN encourages parties to commit to halting indiscriminate commodity driven rangeland conversion as an LDN objective and to explicitly target the drivers of rangeland degradation, including poorly planned plantations and energy projects, as well as introduction and spread of invasive alien species in LDN planning.
The International Year of rangelands and pastoralists must be a turning point for pastoralist leadership and IUCN is pleased to be a part of the Global Alliance for rangelands and pastoralists, which aims to do just that.
ICN strongly supports pastoralists well defined legal and customary tenure and access rights and the recognition of pastoralist mobility as a nature based solution for sustainable rangeland management.
We therefore invite parties to establish legal frameworks that recognize such areas as contributing to biodiversity conservation, potentially as other effective area based conservation measures.
Finally, IUCN supports both the Rangeland Flagship Initiative and the coalition of Rangeland states and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate in their operationalization.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
An, Sandwich delegates, we have seven speakers on the list and we have just less than 15 minutes.
Please be brief in your statement to allow all of you to speak.
Now I will come back to International Center for Integrated Mountain Development.
You have the floor.
Please be brief in your statement.
The mic is still not working.
The working.
Thank you, Chair.
I speak on behalf of the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, an intergovernmental organization working across the mountain rangelands of the Hindu Kush Himalaya, and in solidarity with the pastoralist communities of Asia and beyond.
In view of the proposed decision, we request parties to act on three fronts.
First, we encourage the implementation and translation of the voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure into binding national protections against enclosure, against conversion, against encroachment on pastoral lands, especially through expanded legal frameworks that recognize the collective and mobile use of lands monitored and measured through inclusive, community validated and appropriate indicators.
We see land tenure as the foundation of Rangeland health, no restoration target, no financing mechanism, no land degradation commitment holds if the pastoralists stewarding these lands do not have recognized rights to land, territory, and mobility.
Second, we insist that parties protect pastoralist mobility, allowing flexibility to review and revise mobility routes year on year from one season to the next, recognizing pastoralist wisdom and capacity for decision making.
Third, we invite parties to link restoration to rights.
Every range land restoration commitment made at this Cp should consider channeling through accessible financing mechanisms that fund pastoralist organizations and their initiatives, supporting and safeguarding pastoralist leadership in decision making, and actions on the lands and equal participation as rights holders.
We urge parties to adopt a range s decision that delivers on tenure, mobility, inclusive governance, and responsible investments with the full and equitable participation of pastoralists, including women and youth at every level.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of IC Mood.
Now I give the floor to the Consortium of International Agriculture Research Centers.
Please be brief in your statements.
Go ahead.
Siar.
I moved to Akad Arab Center for studies of arid zones and dry lands.
Aksad, are you here? Yeah.
Go ahead, please.
Yes.
Thank you, Chair.
I wish on behalf of my secession to thank Mongolia and the people of Mongolia for their very warm welcome and to thank the Secretariat for the excellent organization of our work.
There's more than 30% of Arab land, which is Ranch land and Paiand and this is Arab land, which Really, it's highly dependent on precipitation of a seasonal nature.
90% of this land is pastural land, which is characterized by major movements of the population of the inhabitants.
And so we have pleaded in favor for a model for the Arab region, which is based on land restoration and coordination.
We are able to work with you.
Now we come back to Sejo While waiting, I will go to the specialized agencies and invite FAO to take the floor.
Please be brief, FAO 257.
Thank you, Chair.
Please be brief.
We welcome the progress made in implementing Decision 29 Cop 16, including through regional dialogues K knowledge products and the Range Lands flagship Initiative.
FAO recognizes the critical role of range lands and pastoralists in achieving food security, supporting livelihoods and providing ecosystem services.
Range lands cover more than half of the Earth's land surface and sustained livelihoods, cultures and resilience of pastoralists and food security of 2 billion people worldwide.
Range lands host diverse ecosystem.
Their sustainable management and restoration require integrated approaches that link grazing mobility, local knowledge, culture, biodiversity, land tenure, and soil and water conservation, However, they remain undervalued and underfnanced.
Land degradation, desertification, drought, invasive species, conversion of range lands to other land useers and competition over natural resources continue to threaten rangeland health and the pastoral communities who depend on them.
These challenges require holistic and integrated pastoral centered approaches that uphold pastoral rights, strengthen customary governance, and enhance range land restoration and water and drought management.
As part of the global efforts for enhancing action and raising global awareness of the importance of range lands and pastoralists for food security, ecosystem services and cultural heritage, FAO is leading the celebration of the United Nations International Year of Range Lands and Pastoralists, 2026, in collaboration with member states, UN CCD, and partners, including the Global Alliance for Range Lands and Pastoralists.
As we reach the midpoint of this international year, we would like to commend the Global Alliance, a coalition of around 500 pastoralist organizations, supporting institutions and individuals for their important role in building global momentum and advancing the implementation, outreach, and visibility of International Year.
This collective effort has highlighted the importance of stronger partnerships to address the challenges changing facing rangelands and pastoral communities, particularly in the context of increasing drought and climate pressures.
In this regard, the FAO FAO tried to conclude is C for working group on dry and forests and aggressive pastoral systems, together with UN CCD International Drought Resilience Alliance, IDR and partners offer a collaborative platform to enhance drought resilience.
Dry and forests and aggressive pastoral systems are essential for the resilience of rangelands, pastoralists livelihoods and agri food systems.
Sustaining their contributions requires stakeholder participation and cross sectoral collaboration among institutions to ensure policy coherence.
We remain committed to supporting pastoralists and parties and invite parties, donors, and partners to work together to translate the agreements reached under decision 29 Cop 16 into concrete action.
We are confident that by implementing these measures, O, please.
More resilient rangelands ecosystems that sustain both communities and the environment and contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, EFO.
Now I give the floor to United Nations Environment Program.
Go ahead, please and try to be brief.
All.
UNEP, while waiting for UNEP, I will give the floor to Arab Organization for Agriculture Development.
I think the United Nations Environment Program welcomes the notes and commends the UNCCD Secretariat and partners for the progress made in implementing Decision 29 Cop 16.
UNEP also welcome the Range and Flagship Initiative and requests to be actively engaged in its further development and implementation.
We believe that sustainable range land management must be firmly grounded in right based approach.
These include strengthening tenure security, recognizing customary land and mobility rights, and ensuring meaningful participation of pastoralists, indigenous people, local community consistent with the voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure of lands, fisheries, and forestry in the context of national food security.
UNEPs core principles for private conservation organizations and founders can provide a practical framework for equitable public, private community partnership that respects rights while mobilizing funds for conservation and restoration.
We also encourage stronger integration of range land and pastoralist solution into NDCs, NBSPs and LDN target and sustained investment in evidence, awareness, and resource mobilization.
Building on the 2029 Global Range Atlas, UNEP continue to support this agenda through the Calpine Convention and project in Mongolia, Jordan, and beyond.
Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Thank you, UP, for being brief.
Now I give the floor to Arab Organization for Agriculture Development.
Ramat Hello.
Man.
In the name of God, the confession merciful, Your Ecellncies Mr.
Chair.
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, allow me at the outset, on behalf of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, to express my sincerest appreciation to the UN CCD Secretariat for their continued efforts to promote the implementation of the convention.
And the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development attaches great importance to the themes tackled today, notably the implementation of the strategic framework of the UNCCD 2018, 2030, and other linked issues in terms of pastoralists, sand and dust storms, droughts, empowerment of women, and rural community resilience.
When it comes to sand and dust storms, the Arab Organization or the Arab region is most affected by sand and dust storms.
And over the past years, this has become a recurrent phenomenon with negative consequences on the live health of people as well as livestock, livelihoods, economy, and environment.
The Arab Organization, makes strenuous efforts in Arab countries to raise awareness for communities and national institutions when it comes to the drivers of this phenomenon and promoting the culture of prevention, preparedness, and limiting the negative consequences.
But the phenomenon increases and this requires us to shift to a more advanced level of work.
The Arab region requires modern knowledge.
The chair interrupts.
The Arab region also requires advanced equipment in order to address this phenomenon in a more effective manner.
We also need promoting our capacity in the area of monitoring, follow up, prediction, early warning, and reducing to enable member states to predict these storms and to be prepared.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Wada.
Now I give the floor to CJR Consortium of International Agriculture Research Center.
Please be brief.
Thank you, Chair for giving me the floor.
We welcome the draft decision.
Calls for public private community partnership to secure tenure and inclusive governance to restore at least 30% of the graded rangelands by 2030, in line with target two of the Human Montreal Global biodiversity Framework, with women, indigenous people, pastoralism, and other rangeland stewards recognized as leaders, not passive recipients of interventions.
We also welcome the coalition of rangeland states as a platform to catalyze the political commitment and investment needed to achieve restoration at this scale.
Recent work by CGR and partners show what this can look like in practice.
Emerging investment cases in Africa and Latin America are already mobilizing private and blended finance for range line restoration linked to livestock value change.
Demonstrating that restoration range lines is not only environmental imperative.
But also a credible investment opportunity, generating returns for producers and investors while restoring the landscapes they depend on.
We urge parties to give particular attention to invasive alien plants and species as the growing driver of rangeland degradation.
The species reduce forage availability and gradland capacity, often forcing overgrazing into new areas, underscoring the need of coordinated cross border action to prevent and manage their spread.
Finally, meeting these ambitions will require robust evidence and monitoring, including tracking of soil organic carbon as an indicator of rangeland health to guide adaptive management and support reporting across the Rio conventions.
We stand ready to support parts in translating this decision into ambitious, long term action that secure the future of the world's rangelands and the communities who depends on them.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, CJR.
Now I give the floor to civil society.
The representative of civil society, you have the floor.
T.
Thank you, President, Madam Chairperson, Distinguished delegates.
The year 2026 is International Year of Rangeland and Pastoralists and the party is on the draft decision already recognizing their momentum, this great.
We asked cop 17 to match this recognition with action.
In recognition and alignment with the global pastoralists and indigenous pastoralists call for action of 15 August 2026, the civil society organizations call on parties to take the following urgent actions.
First, implement pastoralist rights to land, territory, and mobility, including trans women's corridors and cross border mobility.
In line with the voluntary guidelines on responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries, forest, and decisions 29 slash CP 16, legal frameworks must recognize collective, seasonal overlapping and mobile forms of land use.
Protecting against the appropriation of communal pastoral lands for industry, infrastructure, green climate solutions such as carbon markets, renewable energy, mining for transitional minerals, afforestation, and forest conservation.
Safeguard pastoral mobility as adaptive capacity and is a production strategy fundamental to keeping livestock production for food, sustainable management and restoration of degraded territories, livelihoods, resilience, under challenging climatic conditions, ensuring that policy allows flexibility rather than fixed behavior, accounting for changes in accessibility and ecological suitability.
De inclusive pastoralist validated land tenure data and monitoring systems that accurately reflect the realities of pastoralism.
Reframe land degradation neutrality and pastoralist rights and initiate a pastoralist inclusive and participatory assessment of its potential arms.
We call upon the UNCCD to embrace a systematic approach to land degradation and soil health that respects the unity of pastoralist grangeland systems.
That goes beyond environmental metrics to include social, cultural and economic criteria for the well being of indigenous peoples.
We oppose any restoration and nature conservation initiatives that encourage our territories and infringe on our rights.
Therefore, we call on parties to ensure that any attempt aimed at restoration and conservation should be carried out in full compliance with the legal and customary measures enriched in the UN Declaration on the Rights of peasants and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.
And in line with the VGGTs and drawing from the existing models such as the indigenous communities conserved areas and territories of life, ICCAs.
Ensure ten led investment in rangelands led organizations and initiatives through direct financing mechanisms, including through Range Land flagship Initiative.
Establish equitable and inclusive decision making process that ensures pastoralists, including pastoralist women and youth, arthrte and knowledge holders in rance governance at all levels, including through permanent consultative mechanism alongside to include society and establishment of pastoralist caucus to strengthen dialogue, coordination, and meaningful participation in UNCCD deliberations.
Thank you, Sir.
Thank you, Civil Society representative.
Sanguich delegate, we have one speaker remaining, which is Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animal, and we'll hear the statement tomorrow from CMS.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Alexander from UC City Secretariat to react to the discussion we had.
Thank you, Chair.
Thank all the parties and observers for their comments and suggestions.
We look forward to answering and clarifying any issues in the contact group.
Thank you.
I thank Mr.
Sasha from UC City Secretariat, and I propose that further discussion on these items in the totality be taken up into Cal contact group two.
I hear no objection.
It's so decided.
This brings us to the end of our deliberation of today's meeting.
The next meeting of the committee of the hall is scheduled for tomorrow morning, Friday, 21, August at 10:00 A.M.
In the plenary hall.
I would like to draw the attention of parties to the following change in the schedule of meeting.
The agenda item originally scheduled to be considered coming Tuesday, 25 August will be considered tomorrow morning.
Friday 21 August, this item are agenda item two, D, entitled Review of Progress in the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Compostification Communication Plan, and eight C entitled Program of Work for 18th session of the Conference of the Parties.
This information is already reflected in the Dialect journal at UC City website and For further information, please consult the daily journal at the UCCD website and the UCCD application.
The contact group two on other matters will reconvene after the closing of disciplinary at 6:30 P.M.
Before adjourning, I would like to thank the interpreters for the extension, the gratisly gabs.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
We nearly heard all the speakers inscribed.
The meeting is adjourned.