By Sharon Atieno
Countries have committed to prioritizing land restoration and drought resilience in national policies and international cooperation as an essential strategy for food security and climate adaptation.
The commitment was made as the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nations also made significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future global drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026.
In the meanwhile, more than USD 12 billion were pledged to tackle desertification, land degradation and drought around the world, especially in the most vulnerable countries.
Among the main agreements reached during the two weeks of negotiations at the COP16 were the creation of a Caucus for Indigenous Peoples and a Caucus for Local Communities to ensure that their unique perspectives and challenges are adequately represented; a continuation of the Convention’s Science-Policy Interface to strengthen science-based decision-making; and the mobilization of private sector engagement under the Business4Land initiative.
In her statement, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed emphasized: “Our work does not end with the closing of COP16. We must continue to tackle the climate crisis—it is a call to action for all of us to embrace inclusivity, innovation, and resilience. Youth and Indigenous peoples must be at the heart of these conversations. Their wisdom, their voices, and their creativity are indispensable as we craft a sustainable future with renewed hope for generations to come.”
In his closing remarks, COP16 President, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, said the meeting marked a turning point in raising international awareness of the pressing need to accelerate land restoration and drought resilience.
“The Kingdom’s hosting of this important conference reflects its ongoing commitment to environmental issues and sustainable development. It reaffirms its dedication to working with all parties to preserve ecosystems, enhance international cooperation to combat desertification and land degradation, and address drought. We hope the outcomes of this session will lead to a significant shift that strengthens efforts to preserve land, reduce its degradation, build capacities to address drought and contribute to the wellbeing of communities around the world.”
Addressing the COP16 closing plenary, Under-Secretary-General and UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw stated: “As we have discussed and witnessed, the solutions are within our grasp. The actions we took today will shape not only the future of our planet but also the lives, livelihoods, and opportunities of those who depend on it.”
He further emphasized a significant shift in the global approach to land and drought issues, highlighting the interconnected challenges with broader global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, forced migration, and global stability.
COP16 President Alfadley added: “Governments, the private sector, organizations, and other entities have launched numerous initiatives. In this regard, I would like to commend the announcement by the Arab Coordination Group of allocating USD 12 billion to support projects aimed at reducing land degradation and preparing for drought. Additionally, over 30 decisions were issued on key topics through the negotiation process, including migration, dust storms, enhancing the role of science, research, and innovation, and empowering women to tackle environmental challenges. The decisions also introduced new topics to the agenda, namely rangelands and environmentally sustainable agrifood systems.”
COP16 was the largest and most diverse UNCCD COP to date: it attracted more than 20,000 participants, around 3,500 of them from civil society, and featured more than 600 events as part of the first Action Agenda to involve non-state actors in the work of the Convention.
