8:30-20:00, Room Osiris 

At the 77th United Nations General Assembly in September 2022, Spain and Senegal announced the creation of an International Drought Resilience Alliance to be launched at UNFCCC COP27. The Alliance is envisioned to be a collaborative platform to catalyze political momentum and action that supports countries, cities, and communities. It aims to go beyond disaster response to reduce country and community vulnerability to drought by promoting effective and efficient preparedness and adaptative measures.

Organized by the UNCCD with the support of WMO, GWP, FAO, UNEP, UNDRR, OECD, TNC, CIFOR/ICRAF and UNFCCC COP27, this high-level side event will facilitate experience-sharing at the global, regional, and national levels, spanning sectors and scales, putting a spotlight on the appropriate policy, advocacy, financing and implementation measures that are integrated, inclusive and sustainable.  

The role of integrated drought approaches will be stressed, including the following key messages: 

• Engaging in dialogue and coordination among countries, UN agencies, academia, government actors, civil society, private sector, and NGOs gears for innovative solutions to guide policy and action
• Coordinated efforts promote efficiency and leverage considerable engagement of stakeholders, including the private sector for drought resilience
• Drought risks can be mitigated using ecosystem-based strategies to manage drought sustainably and enhance food security

Moderator: Ms. Leigh Ann Winowiecki, Global Research Theme Leader, Soil and Land Health, CIFOR-ICRAF  

• Welcoming remarks: Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD
• Introductory remarks: Ms. Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Minister for Ecological Transition, Spain
• Monsieur Alioune NDOYE, Ministère de l'Environnement et du development
• durable, Senegal
• Keynote: Ms. Darci Vetter, Global Head, Policy, and Government Relations, TNC

 High-level Interactive policy dialogue with ministers:

• Mr. Keriako Tobiko, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Kenya
• Ms. Svenja Schulze, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
• Mr. Abdulrahman Al Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Saudi Arabia
• Ms. Maisa Rojas, Minister of Environment, Chile
• Ms. Monica, Medina, Assistant Secretary Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources, USA

Further discussion on the benefits of global approach to drought resilience:

• Ms. Patricia Kombo, UNCCD Land Hero and Founder PaTree Initiative, Kenya
• Reflections from UN/IGOs on implementation on the ground: what works, where can we improve, with whom?
• Prof. Petteri Taalas, Secretary General of WMO
• Ms. Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General of FAO
• Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP
• Mr. Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of OECD
•  Ms. Loretta Hieber Girardet, Chief, Risk Knowledge Branch at UNDRR
• Mr. Pablo Bereciartua, Chair of the Global Water Partnership

Closing remarks: Ministers from Spain and Senegal, co-hosts of the International Drought Resilience Alliance