GEF 67th Council Meeting: Speech by Ibrahim Thiaw

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Members of the GEF Council,

Ibn Khaldun, the renowned Tunisian father of sociology in the Middle Ages, once said: "He who finds a new path is a pathfinder, even if the trail has to be found through the desert."

We are pathfinders.

Together, we are forging new and innovative trails towards sustainability and resilience, even in the most challenging environments.

For many of us who have been observing this institution function and transform itself over time, the GEF is more than just a facility. It’s a family. It’s an example of what we can do together, to address global issues. An example of what we should be doing more and better. Setting clear rules of engagement while supporting -efficiently- the countries and communities in need.

As far as land restoration is concerned, I am pleased to note several proposed GEF Trust Fund financing packages for large scale land restoration initiatives are being considered at this Council.

We need large scale and multi-country actions to bring degraded land back to health, build resilience to drought, secure food for all, reduce tensions and conflicts and avert forced migration.

Yes, Land restoration provides multiple solutions, and responds perfectly to GEF mandate: biodiversity conservation, climate change, fight against land degradation and pollution.

Yet, despite the clear uptick in investments, according to all available data, we are not winning the battle and should certainly not rest on our laurels.

Land degradation is ruining the global economy, destructuring the social fabric of our communities, destroying fragile ecosystems, threatening the global security.

Such as a virus, land loss is attacking the most fragile communities, accentuating poverty and amplifying the impacts of climate change and biodiversity degradation.

Dear Council members,

While droughts by all means are not a new phenomenon, we are observing the increase and intensity of their occurrence. 29% more droughts are observed since the beginning of the new millennia.

The GEF Council ought to respond to the increase demands for help. Droughts are among the most viscous disruptors of our time: droughts disrupt food, water, energy and even global supply chains, as exemplified by the disruptions created this year in the Panama Canal.

GEF Council may wish to pay attention to these trends. Droughts are exacerbated by Climate Change, Ecosystem change, habitat destruction.

As we all know Southern Africa is currently facing an extreme environmental and humanitarian crisis as a severe drought takes a stronger hold on the region. Eastern Africa suffered for 4 consecutive years. Many countries Latin America and Asia are hit hard. Over 100 countries, including small islands have been affected in the last years.

You may be aware Senegal and Spain created the International Drought Resilience Alliance. Nearly 40 countries and over 30 organizations are working together for global drought resilience.

IDRA partners are clear there is an urgent need to establish effective early warning systems (that work across borders), bolster that land-water management nexus and mobilize sustainable financing to improve drought resilience.

So, since I am addressing the GEF Council, I take the opportunity to raise with you – and stress to Council Members - the urgency of investing more in land restoration and drought resilience. Separately.  And together and scale!

Large scale multi country land based approaches – that deliver multiple global benefits - combined with the integrated programmes of GEF8 - represent a clear path forward.

By addressing the interconnected challenges of land degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss and climate change, we will be achieving more comprehensive and lasting results.

The recently launched Blue and Green Islands Integrated Program (BGI-IP) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility provides a case in point. We need more. We can do more, whiting existing resources. We should much more!

We are going to be working with SIDS to strengthen their regional programming and we are expecting strong participation of SIDs in our upcoming COP in Riyadh in December 2024.

In the SIDS – or LIONS (Large Island Ocean States) as Carlos Manuel has started to call them, data plays a crucial role.

Accurate, timely, and accessible data enables us to make informed decisions, measure progress, and adapt our strategies as needed. Investing in data collection and analysis is not just an option; it is a necessity. Vital for decision support – in the small islands, in the hyper arid areas and in the high mountains.

So GEF’s investments and those of other Partners are directed where they are most needed.

With this in mind, the UNCCD has recently engaged 18 “champion countries” in the Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Process 2.0 to demonstrate how countries can strengthen their LDN targets - and support better land use decisions by mainstreaming LDN into their integrated land use planning frameworks.

To make better decisions - again with GEF support.

All of this leads to stronger policies, improved implementation, and greater resilience. Especially in the face of drought and flood. It is a proactive approach that saves lives, protects livelihoods, and preserves our natural resources.

As we look ahead to UNCCD COP 16 in Riyadh, we are filled with ambition and determination.

As the main financing instrument for the Rio Conventions, we look forward to the GEF’s strong participation in our upcoming COP this year.

We look forward to land and drought – not just capturing the Council’s attention.  But capturing more investment too.

The UNCCD COP – from 2nd-13th of December – is an ideal opportunity to reinforce our investments in land.  And underline the critical issue of drought resilience. 

COP16 will open with a Leaders Summit where Heads of State and Government, CEOs from the Private Sector and Heads of Institutions will be invited.

A Ministerial Segment is also foreseen as well as large gatherings of Civil Society, Local communities and Indigenous groups.

Seven Thematic Days will help design and formulate a strong action agenda, which will be an excellent leverage to the GEF. UN agencies, the WB and NGOs have agreed to play a lead role in organizing the Days.

This year COP16 provides an opportunity for the GEF to showcase the results achieved to date – especially in transformative large scale change and nurturing the enabling environment – at the landscape level.

This COP is not just a meeting; it will be a milestone in our journey towards a land degradation-neutral world.  I extend a warm invitation to all of the GEF family of stakeholders to join us in Riyadh from the 3rd-13th of December.

Your presence and participation will be invaluable.  Though the path is not always easy – we will be blazing a trail together.