Regional preparatory meetings are instrumental for countries included under UNCCD regional annexes to get information and discuss key issues before sessions of the COP and its subsidiary bodies, aligning regional approaches and priorities. By focusing on specific strengths and needs of each region, these meetings can ensure that the COP decisions and actions make a real impact. 

As platforms for information exchange, regional meetings also support the representatives of affected countries in delivering on their tasks in implementing the convention at the national level. The regional meetings will be focused around the COP 16, CRIC 22 and CST 16 agenda items, and will include presentations from the UNCCD secretariat and the Global Mechanism, followed by discussions among the countries of the region.