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Bonn, Germany, 5 August 2025 – The UNCCD today marks a historic leadership transition as outgoing Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw hands over responsibilities to Yasmine Fouad, former Minister of Environment of Egypt, at the Convention’s secretariat headquarters in Bonn. A Mauritanian national, Thiaw led the UNCCD secretariat since 2019, having served the environment movement for more than 40 years, the last twelve with the United Nations. Under his leadership, the Convention advanced in its mission to protect people and ecosystems by restoring our land and ensuring a safer, just and more sustainable future.  While land degradation and desertification are perceived as insurmountable challenges, the UNCCD has proved that land restoration unlocks multiple solutions. There are few places on earth where this is truer than in Africa’s Sahel, the (greater) Middle East and Central Asia. The UNCCD has thus supported Parties in need develop and carry out large-scale restoration activities, such as the Great Green Wall(s) in Africa or the Middle East Green Initiative. Bringing degraded land back to health generates more food on the table, stabilizes economies and societies, combats climate change and restores water and biodiversity. The G20 Global Land Restoration Initiative also contributes to such effort.  The last four years have seen an awakening in the need for stepped up global efforts to build resilience to increasingly frequent and intense droughts, culminating in the launch of the International Drought Resilience Alliance in 2022 and the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership in 2024, backed by strong political and financial commitments. Human face: The mandate of the UNCCD cut across human wellbeing and ecosystem protection in a context of vulnerability or scarcity. In that context, local communities, small holders, youth women and indigenous people have been at the center of the attention. At UNCCD COP16, UNCCD Parties took bold decisions to ensure meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and youth in the Convention’s processes. Advancing women’s land rights has been the focus of the UNCCD’s advocacy work, building on the Convention’s strong record in promoting gender equality. Public-private partnerships:  While commendable progress has been made thanks to public investments, a UNCCD study conducted by the UNCCD in 2024 revealed that investments made by the private sector in land restoration represent just 6 per cent of the total. To mobilize private sector investment in support of land restoration and drought resilience, UNCCD has therefore forged cooperation frameworks with institutions such as the World Economic Forum and launched the Business4Land Initiative. Science-policy dialogue: The UNCCD strives to make decisions and propose policies backed by science. In that context, building a stronger Science-Policy Interface was essential. COP16 gave mandate for a stronger voice of science in decision-making.  Outgoing Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “I’ve witnessed firsthand how degraded land turns into restored landscapes and revived livelihoods—this transformation inspired every step of my journey. I am proud to have led the UNCCD Secretariat in changing the world’s perspective from land as a problem, to land as one of the most powerful solutions for sustainable development. I thank the UNCCD Parties for their support and warmly welcome the next Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, to whom I entrust a stronger and more inclusive secretariat with renewed momentum.” Yasmine Fouad, who served since 2018 as Egypt’s Environment Minister, brings over more than 25 years of environmental diplomacy experience at the intersection of climate, biodiversity and sustainable development, having chaired CBD COP14 and served as Envoy for UNFCCC COP27, leading negotiations on climate finance and nature-based solutions. Incoming UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad said: “I am deeply honored to take up this mantle and thank my predecessor Ibrahim Thiaw for his invaluable contribution to the Convention and broader sustainable development agenda of the United Nations. Building on UNCCD’s 30-year-strong legacy, I will champion integrated solutions across land, climate and biodiversity and committed to build with all parties and stakeholders ambitious comprehensive post-2030 targets. Together, the UNCCD will deepen partnerships, amplify voices of the most affected and drive bold actions to heal our lands, build resilience to droughts, restore our ecosystems and secure people's futures.” For more information, please contact the UNCCD press office: press@unccd.int – Tel. +49 228 8152859 / +49 173 2680229 About UNCCD The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner. 

In the desert village of Lodhera, Rajasthan, a grassroots environmental initiative has taken shape under the leadership of UNCCD Land for Life Award laureate Professor Shyam Sunder Jyani and Kavita Jyani, co-founder of the Familial Forestry movement. As part of the broader Familial Forestry Mission, the duo has launched the “Plastic-Free Kitchen” campaign—starting with a small but symbolic step: replacing plastic tea strainers with safer alternatives. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the potential health and environmental risks associated with everyday plastic utensils. While scientific consensus on long-term health effects is still evolving, microplastic pollution from common plastic items has become a growing concern worldwide. Items like plastic tea strainers, when exposed to heat, can  degrade over time and contribute to microplastic presence in domestic environments. This local campaign was introduced at a community gathering, where women from Lodhera village pledged to avoid plastic tea strainers in favor of more durable and eco-friendly materials such as stainless steel and natural fibers. Speaking at the event, Kavita Jyani emphasized how behavioral change at the household level can reinforce broader environmental values. “Transforming small habits in our kitchens can help build a culture of sustainability and health,” she said. The plastic-free campaign is closely linked with the Familial Forestry approach, which integrates environmental responsibility into family and community life. A unique concept  developed by Professor Jyani, it treats each planted tree as a green “family member”. Placing the family at the center of environmental stewardship, the concept embeds ecological values into everyday family life.  Since 2006, more than one million families from over 15,000 desert-prone villages in northwest Rajasthan have planted over 2.5 million saplings, with the active participation of students and desert dwellers. Addressing the rally, Professor Jyani spoke about the importance of community-led ecological action and the relevance of native vegetation in addressing climate challenges. “From tree planting to kitchen choices, each decision contributes to a more resilient ecosystem,” he said. The Plastic-Free Kitchen campaign brings a domestic dimension to the broader goals of land conservation and sustainability, aligning closely with UNCCD priorities to promote ecosystem health and sustainable livelihoods. As governments meet in Geneva the week of 4 August for the final round of negotiations on a global plastics treaty, grassroot initiatives like the one in Lodhera highlight the power of community-led action alongside global policymaking. 

The UNCCD is launching a call for expressions of interest to identify qualified representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector entities to serve on the Steering Committee of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership (RGDRP).This is an opportunity for leading actors in drought resilience, climate adaptation and sustainable land and water management to help shape the strategic direction and governance of a global partnership dedicated to shifting the response to drought from reactive crisis management to proactive risk reduction.About the RGDRPThe RGDRP is the leading international platform focused on advancing global drought resilience. It supports 74 countries—primarily low-income and lower-middle-income economies—in strengthening their capacity to manage and reduce drought risks. The Partnership mobilizes finance, fosters knowledge exchange and promotes inclusive development through its three operational mechanisms: the Readiness Facility, the Investment Facility and the Knowledge Bank.The Steering Committee is the RGDRP’s highest decision-making body. It brings together 12 representatives from UN agencies, donors, beneficiary countries, technical organizations, civil society and the private sector to ensure inclusive, transparent and accountable governance.Who can apply?We are seeking one primary and one alternate representative each from:1. Civil society organizations (CSOs)Eligible applicants include CSOs, NGOs and organizations representing women, youth, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups, accredited to the UNCCD and active in drought resilience or related fields.2. Private sector entitiesEligible applicants include companies, industry associations, or business platforms engaged in climate-smart innovation, sustainable land and water management, blended finance, or public-private partnerships in drought-prone regions.Role and responsibilitiesSelected representatives will:Serve a three-year term (as primary or alternate representative)Participate in two Steering Committee meetings annually (in person or virtually)Contribute to strategic decision-making, investment planning, and policy coordinationRepresent their broader constituency and ensure continuity through the alternate systemHow to applyApplicants must submit a completed application form (choose the appropriate form based on your category from the menu on the right):Applications must be submitted in English by 18 August 2025 to: secretariat@unccd.int and globalmechanism@unccd.intAdditional InformationFor full details, consult the terms of reference of the RGDRP steering committee.We look forward to receiving applications from dynamic, committed actors who are ready to play a meaningful role in advancing global drought resilience.

Excellency Dr. Ibrahim A. Munir, Minister of Environment of Libya, AMCEN President,Excellency Mr. Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, Chair of the Environment Authority of Oman and President of UNEA-7Excellency Mr. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union CommissionDear Zeinab Bangura, Director General of the UN Office at Nairobi,Dear Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of UNEP,Fellow Heads of AgenciesExcellencies, Distinguished guests,Dear colleagues,Ladies and Gentlemen, It is fitting to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of AMCEN here today. Indeed, Nairobi is the cradle of so many environmental decisions and policies. Born in Cairo in December 1985, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment was developed and conceived in a room of this very compound of Gigiri, in Nairobi. It is well known that Africa is the youngest continent in the world. In Africa, 40 is a turning point. Between youth and full maturity. Between full power and the beginning of decline. 40 is a respectable age when one becomes a notable figure, someone who is consulted for advice. It is when children, if not already adults, are raised and educated, or at least in the midst of adolescence. Forty is the age of reason, respectability, and responsibility. It is the age when we must pass on the wisdom of initiation and tenderness to a new generation. AMCEN has therefore reached an honourable and respectable age. AMCEN can either take the path towards decline and regret – and no one in this room wants that – or it can soar towards the success that awaits the 1.5 billion Africans whose economy and well-being depend largely on natural resources. We all in this room expect AMCEN to climb the ladder of respectability, proudly passing the baton to the next generation. It can no longer claim the innocence of youth or the stammerings of the novice. Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres,Il y a de quoi être fier de la CMAE. Depuis sa création, elle a été l’architecte décisif de l'intégration des priorités africaines dans les conférences mondiales : de Rio en 1992, à Paris en 2015, en passant par les COP. À chaque fois que l’Afrique coordonne et raffermit ses 54 voix, elle est écoutée et respectée en dépit de la cacophonie et de la complexité du système multilatéral. Toutefois, force est de reconnaître que des progrès restent encore à faire dans beaucoup de domaines. L’Afrique doit davantage rechercher la cohérence entre ses positions dans différentes négociations internationales. Les différents Groupes des Négociateurs africains ont des ancrages quelque peu sectoriels, voire dispersés. AMCEN doit rechercher à davantage harmoniser les positions africaines concernant les COP Climat, Biodiversité, Désertification, Pollution etc…Les points à l’ordre du jour des sessions de AMCEN doivent refléter cette recherche de cohérence. Quant à l’Union africaine, elle devrait élargir le mandat du Président en exercice du CAHOSC , afin que le comité des chefs d’état Africains intègre toutes les priorités environnementales de l’Afrique à savoir le climat, la dégradation des terres, la biodiversité et d’une manière générale la protection de la nature. Pour un continent dont l’économie dépend largement du secteur primaire, nous pensons en effet que l’Union africaine et AMCEN devraient faire figurer les questions des terres et la protection de la nature encore plus haut dans les priorités des Chefs d’Etat africains . L’Union africaine et AMCEN devraient donc promouvoir un CAHOSC plus inclusif. « La pluie ne tombe jamais sur un seul toit », dit un proverbe Camerounais, sonnant comme un rappel puissant que le Président du CAHOSC -représentant plénipotentiaire des Chefs d’Etats africains- ne saurait être cantonné à un seul sujet, aussi important soit-il que le climat.Mesdames et messieurs, Avant de conclure, permettez moi de rendre un vibrant hommage à tous ces pionniers, ministres, directeurs généraux et experts africains. Ils ont travaillé dans des conditions très difficiles, à l’ère du télex, du téléfax et du télégramme, au moment où relier deux sous-régions africaines relevait d’une véritable odyssée, pour nous léguer une fondation aussi solide. Pour ma part, je termine ma mission à la tête de UNCCD. J’ai tenu à faire de AMCEN@40 ma dernière mission officielle en cette capacité. Ce fut plus un énorme honneur de servir l’humanité pour cette noble cause. Je puis également vous dire que je n’ai, à aucun moment, perdu de vue mes fières origines, fortement ancrées dans les profondeurs des terres africaines. Je vous confie deux de mes convictions intimes : 1. la solution (du développement durable) viendra des terres, mais aussi des cœurs.2. L’Afrique offre une clé des solutions climatiques de demain. A nous de saisir la balle au bond. Je vous laisse avec cette phrase inspirée de feu Wangari Maathai, cette digne fille d’Afrique avec qui j’ai eu le privilège de coopérer et d’apprécier pendant mon séjour au Kenya:« L’environnement et l’économie sont deux faces d’une même pièce. Si nous ne protégeons pas le premier, nous perdrons les deux »Joyeux Anniversaire, AMCEN !Asante sana

Land degradation and drought are fueling a hidden health crisis – but we still have time to act. When we speak of desertification or drought, we often think of dry rivers, cracked soil and failed harvests. But there is another, less visible toll - one that strikes deep into the lungs, hearts and daily lives of the world’s most vulnerable people. A new policy brief from the UNCCD reveals the far-reaching health impacts of land degradation and drought — and it delivers a stark message: the health of the planet and the health of people are inseparable. Around the world, land is deteriorating at an alarming pace. Between 2015 and 2019, more than 100 million hectares of productive land were lost each year. That’s an area roughly the size of Egypt — gone annually. This degradation doesn’t just threaten biodiversity and food production. It destabilizes communities, weakens immune systems and increases the spread of disease. The damage is particularly acute in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, where fragile ecosystems support large and growing populations. As land dries out or is stripped of its fertility, the impact cascades: water becomes scarce, crops fail, dust storms multiply and health systems buckle under the strain. And the data is clear. In drylands — which already cover more than 40 per cent of the Earth’s surface — rates of malnutrition, respiratory illness and waterborne disease are rising. Children are particularly at risk. Malnutrition, stunting and underweight are now among the top drivers of childhood disease burden globally.  In places like Zambia, droughts have pushed up food prices, leaving pregnant mothers undernourished and babies born weaker.  In parts of South America, dust from degraded soil increases the risk of respiratory illness and exposure to infectious diseases. In Australia, prolonged drought has been linked to rising levels of anxiety, depression and rural suicide. This is not a coincidence. These are complex, systemic failures driven by the intertwined forces of environmental degradation and climate change. The UNCCD brief lays out how drought, land degradation and desertification — collectively referred to as DLDD — contribute to a spectrum of public health challenges, ranging from infectious diseases like cholera, malaria and even HIV, to chronic conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. Poor air quality from wildfires and sandstorms, unsafe water due to reduced availability and contamination and disrupted food systems all contribute to rising illness and mortality. What’s more, DLDD increases the risk of emerging zoonotic diseases — illnesses transmitted from animals to humans — by disturbing ecosystems and bringing humans into closer contact with disease reservoirs. This is how Ebola spreads. This is how pandemics begin. It’s critical that we connect the dots: land degradation, desertification, and drought are not just environmental issues — they directly impact human health,” says Dr. Barron Joseph Orr, UNCCD Chief Scientist.  “The good news is that by restoring land and managing drought proactively, we can reduce health risks, strengthen communities and improve lives."The solution, the brief argues, lies in breaking these dangerous feedback loops. This requires more than restoring land or investing in health. It demands a radical rethinking of how we govern the relationship between ecosystems and wellbeing. The UNCCD calls for integrated, cross-sectoral responses — ones that recognize land not as a passive backdrop to human life, but as a living, dynamic system on which health depends. That means reorienting land use planning, agricultural policies and environmental management to include health as a central concern. It means empowering communities with tools and knowledge to respond to climate threats. It means supporting women and girls, who often carry the greatest burdens — collecting water, caring for the sick, or suffering silently from the physical and mental toll of degraded environments. “We have to realize that human health is closely linked with the health of our land and our ecosystems. The quality of the food we produce from healthy soil is akin to a pharmacy. says Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD. "This is a call to all sectors — from health to agriculture to finance — to come together and build resilience where it matters most: in our soil, in our systems, and in our communities.” The brief also emphasizes the need to implement the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health and to strengthen the One Health approach — which sees the health of people, animals and ecosystems as deeply interlinked. The benefits of action far outweigh the costs, the brief stresses. From reduced hospital admissions to increased agricultural resilience, the returns on investing in land-health synergy are profound. Time, however, is running short. As climate extremes intensify and drylands expand, more communities will be pushed beyond their coping capacity. Unless we act, the health consequences of inaction will grow — quietly, inexorably and with devastating effects. The UNCCD stands ready to support countries in this effort — by providing the data, guidance and partnerships needed to develop integrated responses, empower the most vulnerable and restore the health of the land so that people, too, can thrive. Because when the land gets sick, so do we. 

In northern Colombia, snow-capped peaks tower more than 5,700 metres above the Caribbean Sea. This is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve deemed the most irreplaceable site in the world for threatened species.Much more than a sight to behold, the range is the prime water tower for 1.8 million people, a biodiversity hotspot in a country that ranks second globally in species richness and a territory of deep spiritual significance for the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa and Kankuamo peoples. For them, it is Gonawindúa, or the ‘Heart of the world.’ This landscape of biocultural importance illustrates the vital role sacred natural sites around the world play in conservation, sustainable use and restoration of the land. That is particularly true for the Sierra Nevada, a land scarred by decades of conflict, charcoal mining, unsustainable agriculture and urban sprawl. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a major water tower in northern ColombiaIn response to these pressures, communities have joined forces to protect and revive their land —a testament to the indelible links between the country’s 1.9 million Indigenous people, belonging to around 100 ethnic groups, and their ancestral territories.The Heart of the World Programme, recently launched by four Indigenous organizations with support from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, looks to heal the land —including its soils, water resources and biodiversity— drawing on the best of ancestral knowledge and science. In upholding the cultural and spiritual integrity of their territory, home to nearly 350 sacred sites, the communities are also restoring vital ecosystem services like water provision for downstream populations.Arhuaco community in Serra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia“Just as the human body heals itself, the Earth can also recover as long as we stop harming it,” says environmental coordinator of the Tayrona Indigenous Confederation Dwirunney Torres. The programme, he says, has allocated 70 percent of the territory to natural regeneration and the rest to ensuring food sovereignty and agroecological ventures through 2065. The compass for the initiative is the Law of Origin, a set of ancestral principles that governs the lives of Indigenous communities and provides the basis for sustainable land use planning and land management. Its ultimate goal is achieving harmony between humans and the natural and spiritual worlds, which are seen as one.Nature-based solutionsIndigenous people in the Sierra Nevada understand the link between healthy lands and the wellbeing of communities. As a result, they are taking action to protect and restore the land to ensure the availability of clean water, nutritious food and vibrant ecosystems for generations to come. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, northern ColombiaInterventions range from acquiring land of cultural and environmental significance to protect it, to collecting and propagating the seeds of native species adapted to changing climatic conditions, to ensuring that degraded lands and ecosystems are allowed to regenerate. Other measures involve establishing living fences around water springs.According to the Heart of the World Programme, reconnecting and protecting the string of sacred natural sites that delimit the territory —known as the Línea Negra, or ‘Black Line’— is the main and most effective strategy to heal the land: “Recovering and inhabiting the sacred sites is important, since the mere tenure of these spaces and the exercise of [Indigenous] self-government therein, guarantees their integral protection and natural regeneration (...).”Women play an important role in these efforts, both as technical experts and as bearers of traditional knowledge.  'Heart of the World Programme,' led by Indigenous communities “As Arhuaco women, as givers of life, we have a responsibility to care for our Mother Earth” says environmental engineer Gunkeiwia Daza. In her community, women oversee native plant nurseries that are used to revive forests —and to rekindle the memory of a land where nature and culture go hand in hand. For Gonawindúa communities, restoring the land is not a mere project, but a way to keep the Heart of the World beating. Their message, summed up by Dwirunney, is clear: the solution to the world’s environmental crises will not come from technical advances alone, but from a genuine respect for the Earth and its guardians.Photo : © José Ríos/UNIC Bogota/UNCCD