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Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends, Drought is a global challenge, which no nation can solve on its own. Because of climate change, drought is becoming more frequent and longer lasting, with devastating impacts on all sectors of society, from agriculture and energy to transportation and tourism. An estimated 55 million people are directly affected by drought every year, putting the well-being of current and future generations at unacceptable risk. It is my privilege, and I am delighted to welcome all of you to the launch of the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA). The Alliance will catalyze momentum and mobilize resources for targeted actions to enhance drought resilience – thus shifting the focus from crises management to drought preparedness. Countries are joining forces to send a strong political signal that global partnerships can transform actions and mindsets to enhance drought resilience and reduce unnecessary suffering. I would like to start by thanking His Excellency Mr. Pedro Sanchez, President of Spain, and His Excellency Mr. Macky Sall, President of Senegal for their leadership, commitment, and efforts to make the International Drought Resilience Alliance a reality.   Excellencies,   We are in a race for drought resilience —and it’s a race we can win. Drought is a natural hazard but does not have to lead to human disaster. The solutions are available, and we can create a drought resilient world by increasing our ambition, harnessing the political will, and joining forces to act together. I would now like to invite His Excellency Mr. Pedro Sanchez, President of Spain to give his opening remarks Thank you, Mr. President, I would now like to invite His Excellency Mr. Macky Sall, President of Senegal to give his opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. President  

At the initiative of the Presidents of Senegal, Macky Sall, and Spain, Pedro Sánchez, leaders from over 25 countries and 20 organizations today launched the International Drought Resilience Alliance to accelerate action and help countries to be better prepared for future droughts.

The 114 member governments and 144 participating organisations of the Group on Earth Observations launched GEO Land Degradation Neutrality as a flagship initiative, seeking to accelerate land restoration for global environmental sustainability.

World leaders will launch a new alliance to boost drought resilience on Monday, 7 November 2022, at the Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Change Conference in Egypt.  The high-level launch event, jointly convened by Senegal and Spain, titled, International Drought Resilience Alliance, will take place from 17:00-18:00hrs local time.  

For most of us, food goes beyond simple nutrition and sustenance: it shapes our traditions, brings us together and creates lasting memories. World Food Day is an occasion to celebrate the diversity of our foods and to ponder the future: which foods will feature on our communal table as the world population continues to grow and the planet’s climate continues to change? With 99 per cent of all the calories we consume coming from land, protecting its lasting productivity equals safeguarding our future food supply. World Food Day 2022 is taking place amidst multiple global challenges that put the world off track to secure good food for all by 2030. One of the obstacles is the growing number of droughts that affect countries in all parts of the world – up 29 per cent since 2000, with more frequent and more severe droughts on the horizon. Securing the future of our food and those who produce it against drought is a key priority for UNCCD. No country or region is immune to drought, but all countries can work together to better prepare and respond to this urgent and global challenge. When speaking of drought resilience, it is important to recognize that drought is not just the absence of rain: it is often the result of poor land management. We cannot hope to have enough resources to feed the world’s population that’s set to reach 10 billion by 2050 without changing the way we produce, distribute and consume our food. The current food systems have already taken up 40 per cent of the world’s land surface — an area the size of Asia — and caused 80 per cent of all deforestation. The future of our food depends on reshaping our food systems toward sustainable agricultural practices – such as agroforestry, agro-pastoralism and use of drought-tolerant crops. For example, maize is a staple food for more than 300 million people in Africa, but by the 2030s drought and rising temperatures could render 40 per cent of the continent’s maize-growing area unsuitable for current varieties. In response, researchers have developed more than 160 maize varieties for sub-Saharan Africa that yield 25-30 per cent more than farmers’ standard varieties under drought. More than two million smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are now growing drought-tolerant maize varieties that build resilience and increase yields and productivity. Many successful approaches proven to keep land fertile and protected from drought are also centered on empowering rural women, who produce 60–80 per cent of our food, to emoloy the ancestral knowledge of nurturing their land with secure tenure and modern technology. This World Food Day is an opportunity to remind ourselves that no matter where we are along the food production and supply chain, we all depend on the secure future of our food. As we sit down to dinner, let’s commit to improving our relationship with food by making smart consumer choices, supporting sustainable agricultural producers and choosing plant-based diets focused on resource-efficient crops. We invite you to explore the Dry Delights content featured in our Droughland campaign: (re)discover some drought-resilient foodstuffs and pick your favorite! Making smart choices starts on our plates and supports better production, better nutrition, better drought resilience and a better life on land. 

Statement by Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification on the ​​​​​​​77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Second Committee