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In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most MercifulYour Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley,Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,It is a pleasure to join you today, through this recorded message, on this important occasion that celebrates a remarkable national achievement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.What we celebrate today—the rehabilitation of one million hectares of degraded land—is not merely a number. It is tangible proof that land restoration is possible, even in the most challenging environments. It is an achievement realized on the ground, supported by science, guided by an integrated approach, and driven by a clear determination to create change.At a time when the world is facing an unprecedented acceleration in land degradation and worsening drought impacts, this achievement sends a powerful message:that solutions exist, and that collective action can turn challenges into opportunities.The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated how countries—even in arid environments with limited water resources—can lead a global model in ecosystem restoration by adopting nature-based solutions, leveraging innovation, and strengthening the integration between policies and practices.This achievement also stands as part of a broader national vision under the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims not only to plant trees, but to restore ecosystem functions, enhance biodiversity, and ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.What further distinguishes this effort is its reliance on rigorous scientific methodologies for measurement and verification, enhancing the credibility of results and offering a model that can be replicated globally.Ladies and gentlemen,Land restoration is not only an environmental issue—it is a development and humanitarian imperative.This achievement directly contributes to:Strengthening food security,Supporting local economies,Creating jobs,Enhancing resilience to climate change,And improving the quality of life for communities. At both regional and global levels, land restoration is a key tool for addressing broader challenges, including reducing drivers of displacement and migration linked to land degradation, enhancing stability in fragile regions, and supporting international efforts for climate adaptation and resilience.What we are witnessing today in the Kingdom also reflects the power of partnerships, where government, private sector, and society have come together to achieve this milestone. It confirms that multilateral action is not an option, but a necessity to deliver the transformation required.In this context, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification highly values the Kingdom’s leadership role—through the Middle East Green Initiative, the Global Land Initiative, and its Presidency of the Conference of the Parties—contributing to raising global ambition and strengthening collective action.Ladies and gentlemen,Land restoration is an investment in people, in stability, and in a more sustainable future.What has been achieved today is not the end of the journey, but an important step along a longer path that requires continued commitment, accelerated action, and expanded partnerships.In closing, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this outstanding achievement and for its continued role in advancing the global environmental agenda.We look forward to continuing this constructive collaboration toward a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.Thank you, and peace be upon you.  

Монгол Улс болон Цөлжилттэй тэмцэх тухай Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын конвенцын Нарийн бичгийн дарга нарын газар хамтран Улаанбаатар хотноо зохион байгуулагдах тус конвенцод нэгдэн орсон талуудын 17 дугаар бага хурлын Цэнхэр бүсэд зохион байгуулагдах сэдэвчилсэн өдрүүдийн хөтөлбөрийг албан ёсоор танилцууллаа.“Эх байгалиа сэргээе, Итгэл найдвараа бадраая” уриан дор 2026 оны 8 дугаар сарын 17-ноос 28-ны өдрүүдэд Улаанбаатар хотноо зохион байгуулагдах Цөлжилттэй тэмцэх тухай Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын конвенцын Талуудын 17 дугаар бага хурал (COP17) болохоос таван сарын өмнө Цэнхэр бүсийн сэдэвчилсэн өдрүүд болон үйл ажиллагааны хөтөлбөрийг өнөөдөр /2026.03.17/ олон нийтэд танилцуулж байна.Тус конвенцод нэгдэн орсон 197 улсын төрийн төлөөлөгчид, шинжлэх ухааны байгууллагууд, хувийн хэвшил болон газар ашиглагчид уур амьсгалын өөрчлөлтөд тэсвэртэй, экологийн хувьд тэнцвэртэй, газрыг зохистой ашиглах замаар хөгжил цэцэглэлтийн үндэс болсон эрүүл газрыг хамгаалах, сэргээх дэлхийн үйлсэд хамтран ажиллахаар Улаанбаатар хотноо цуглах юм.Талуудын 17 дугаар бага хурал нь олон улсын хамтын нийгэмлэгийн өмнө хүлээсэн амлалтуудыг бодит, хэмжигдэхүйц хэрэгжилт болгон хэрэгжүүлэхэд чиглэнэ. Энэ удаагийн бага хурлын хэлэлцүүлгийн гол чиглэл нь ган гачигт тэсвэрлэх чадварыг нэмэгдүүлэх, газрын доройтлыг бууруулах, газрын нөхөн сэргээлтэд чиглэсэн санхүүжилтийг нэмэгдүүлэх, мөн дэлхий дахинаа өргөн тархсан бэлчээрийн экосистем болон нүүдлийн мал аж ахуйн ирээдүйн чиг хандлагыг тодорхойлох асуудал байх юм.Энэ жил тогтвортой хөгжлийн үндсэн тулгуур болсон “Риогийн гурав” буюу биологийн олон янз байдал, уур амьсгалын өөрчлөлт болон газрын асуудлаарх гурван конвенцын Талуудын бага хурлууд зохион байгуулагдана. Эдгээрийн эхнийх болж буй Цөлжилттэй тэмцэх тухай Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын конвенцын Талуудын 17 дугаар бага хурал нь энэ жилийн олон улсын хэлэлцүүлгийн үндсэн чиг хандлагыг тодорхойлохын зэрэгцээ дараагийн жилүүдийн бодлогын яриа хэлэлцээний эхлэлийг тавих ач холбогдолтой юм.Цөлжилттэй тэмцэх тухай Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын конвенцын Гүйцэтгэх нарийн “Ирэх 10 жилийн хугацаанд буюу 2030 он гэхэд улс орнууд нийт нэг тэрбум га доройтсон газрыг нөхөн сэргээх амлалтыг өгөөд байна. Мөн 70 гаруй улс ган гачигт тэсвэртэй байх үндэсний бэлэн байдлын төлөвлөгөөтэй болжээ.Талуудын 17 дугаар бага хурал нь эдгээр амлалтыг бодит үйл ажиллагаа болгох чухал боломж юм. Үүнд гангийн эрсдэлийг бууруулах, газрын нөхөн сэргээлтийн санхүүжилтийг нэмэгдүүлэх, хямрал тохиолдсоны дараа өндөр зардал гарган даван туулахын оронд урьдчилан сэргийлэх бэлэн байдлыг хангахад хөрөнгө оруулах, мөн бэлчээрийг эдийн засаг, соёл, уур амьсгалын тогтолцоонд чухал ач холбогдолтой үнэт нөөц гэдгийг хүлээн зөвшөөрөх асуудал багтана” хэмээн онцоллоо.Монгол Улсын Байгаль орчин, уур амьсгалын өөрчлөлтийн сайд Б.Батбаатар хэлэхдээ:“Монгол Улсын Засгийн газрын хувьд ‘Рияд–Улаанбаатар үйл ажиллагааны хөтөлбөр’ нь бэлчээр болон хөдөө аж ахуйн газар нутгаас эхлэн чухал экосистемүүдийг нөхөн сэргээхэд иргэн, бизнес, хот суурин болон олон улсын түншүүдийн оролцоонд тулгуурласан стратеги юм.Энэхүү стратеги нь ус ба газрын нэгдсэн менежментийг дэмжих, тэдгээрийн уялдаа холбоог сайжруулахад чиглэсэн хөрөнгө оруулалтыг татах, мөн ган гачигт тэсвэртэй байдлыг бэхжүүлэхэд онцгой ач холбогдолтой” гэдгийг онцлон тэмдэглэв.Мөн тэрээр нийгмийн бүхий л салбарын манлайлагчдыг Талуудын бага хуралд идэвхтэй оролцож, эрүүл, тогтвортой эдийн засаг болон нийгмийг цогцлоох шийдлүүдийг хамтдаа хуваалцаж, хэрэгжүүлэхийг уриаллаа.Талуудын 17 дугаар бага хурлын хүрээнд дэлхийн газрын доройтол болон гангийн асуудалд төвлөрөх зорилгоор сэдэвчилсэн өдрүүдийг зохион байгуулахаар төлөвлөсөн байна. Эдгээр өдрүүд нь улс төрийн шийдвэрүүдийг бодит шийдлүүдтэй холбох, газрын нөхөн сэргээлт болон гангийн эрсдэлд тэсвэртэй байдлыг нэмэгдүүлэх үйл ажиллагаанд олон талын оролцоог хангах чухал платформ болно.Сэдэвчилсэн өдрүүдСанхүүжилтийн өдөр (8 дугаар сарын 24): Газрыг өргөн хүрээнд нөхөн сэргээхийн тулд өдөрт ойролцоогоор 1 тэрбум ам.долларын санхүүжилт шаардлагатай боловч одоогийн санхүүжилт үүнээс үлэмж бага байна. Энэхүү өдрөөр сангийн сайд нар, хөгжлийн банкууд, олон улсын санхүүгийн байгууллагууд болон хувийн хэвшлийн төлөөллийг нэгтгэн, санхүүжилтийн зөрүүг багасгах, томоохон хөрөнгө оруулалтын боломжийг бүрдүүлэхэд анхаарна.Усны өдөр (8 дугаар сарын 25): 2050 он гэхэд дэлхийн дөрвөн хүн тутмын гурав нь гангийн эрсдэлд өртөх төлөвтэй байна. Усны өдрөөр гангийн эрсдэлд урьдчилан бэлтгэх менежментийг сайжруулах, усны нөөцийн нэгдсэн менежментийг дэмжих, ус ба газрын нэгдсэн төлөвлөлтийг уялдуулах хамтын ажиллагааг өргөжүүлэхэд төвлөрнө.Газар ба хүн төвт өдөр (8 дугаар сарын 26): Бэлчээрийн экосистем нь дэлхий даяар 500 орчим сая хүний амьжиргааг дэмждэг боловч хамгийн дутууүнэлэгдсэн экосистемүүдийн нэг хэвээр байна. Энэ өдөр газар ашиглагчдын дуу хоолойг сонсож, уугуул болоннутгийн иргэд, малчид, нүүдэлчид, залуучууд, эмэгтэйчүүд, иргэний нийгмийн байгууллагуудын оролцоог онцлонхаруулах болно.Хүнсний систем ба хөрсний эрүүл мэндийн өдөр (8 дугаар сарын 27): 2050 он гэхэд дэлхийн хүнсний хэрэгцээг хангахын тулд хүнсний үйлдвэрлэлийг дор хаяж 50 хувиарнэмэгдүүлэх шаардлагатай боловч өнөөгийн хүнсний систем нь газрын доройтлын гол шалтгаан хэвээр байна. Энэ өдрөөр газрын нөхөн сэргээлтийг хүнсний аюулгүй байдал, хөдөө аж ахуйн бүтээмж болон фермер, малчдынамьжиргаатай уялдуулах шийдлүүдийг хэлэлцэнэ.Эдгээр сэдэвчилсэн өдрүүд нь газрын нөхөн сэргээлт, гангийн эрсдэлд тэсвэртэй байдлыг нэмэгдүүлэх, эрүүлэкосистемийг хамгаалах үйлсэд шаардлагатай шийдэл, түншлэл, хөрөнгө оруулалтыг дэлхий нийтийн анхаарлынтөвд авчрах зорилготой юм.Ижил үнэт зүйлс бүхий Засгийн газрууд, эрдэмтэн судлаачид, бизнесийн салбар, малчид болон олон талыноролцогчдыг нэг дор цуглуулж хэлэлцүүлэх нь яриа хэлэлцээнээс бодит хэрэгжилт рүү шилжих, ирээдүй хойчүедээ эрүүл, бүтээмжтэй экосистем, тогтвортой эдийн засгийн боломжийг хадгалан үлдээхэд чухал хувь нэмэроруулна гэж Цөлжилттэй тэмцэх тухай Нэгдсэн Үндэстний Байгууллагын конвенцын Гүйцэтгэх нарийн бичгийндарга Ясмин Фуад онцлон тэмдэглэлээ.

The UNCCD and the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) are launching the Land and Drought Media Reporting Fellowship for six journalists to cover COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (August 17–28, 2026).

New global assessment reveals deep gaps in land tenure security, governance and women’s land rights  For billions of people, land is more than property. It is their livelihood, income, identity and stability. Yet that stability is increasingly fragile. Only about one-third of the world’s land is formally documented. More than one billion people – nearly one in four adults globally – feel insecure about their rights to land or housing and fear they could lose them within the next five years. A new global assessment, The Status of Land Tenure and Governance, sheds light on this growing insecurity. Co-published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Land Coalition and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), under the Global Land Observatory, it brings together data from governments, researchers and civil society to show who holds land, how secure those rights are and where governance gaps remain. With up to 40 per cent of the world’s land already degraded, secure land tenure is essential to restoring land at scale. A widening gap between land management and recognition Although states legally own most of the world’s land, much of it is governed in practice through customary systems. Indigenous Peoples and local communities manage 42 per cent of global land, yet only a small portion of those territories are formally recognized as theirs. This gap between management and legal recognition means that many communities who depend on land do not have formal protection of their rights.  In contexts characterized by high land concentration and ongoing large-scale land acquisitions, the absence of recognition can leave customary landholders with limited legal safeguards. Where land rights are unclear or unprotected, adoption of sustainable land management practices becomes more difficult. Farmers and communities are less likely to invest in restoring degraded soils, conserving water, or adopting sustainable practices if their claims to land are uncertain. “The findings of the Status of Land Tenure and Governance Report confirm that secure and equitable land tenure is a prerequisite for sustainable land management,” said Ward Anseeuw, Senior Land Tenure Officer at FAO. “Strengthening land governance is therefore essential to achieving the objectives of the UNCCD, particularly in advancing land degradation neutrality and enabling local land users to invest confidently in the long-term health and productivity of their land.” Rising insecurity and persistent inequality Land insecurity is increasing globally. Since 2020, the share of adults who feel insecure about their land or housing rights has risen from 19 per cent to 23 per cent worldwide – affecting more than 1.1 billion people. In several regions, more than one-quarter of adults' report feeling insecure, with youth facing particularly high levels of uncertainty. Gender disparities remain pronounced. Across 108 countries assessed, 48 per cent of men report being sole or joint landowners, compared to 40 per cent of women. In agricultural contexts, the gap is often wider. Women produce roughly half of the world’s food yet own less than one-fifth of land globally. Where women lack secure tenure – due to inheritance barriers, limited legal protections or discriminatory customary norms - their ability to invest in soil restoration and sustainable practices is constrained. Advancing women’s land rights is therefore not only a matter of equality. It is essential for resilient food systems and sustainable land management. Customary lands, climate and resilience Customary land systems often overlap with areas of high biodiversity and significant carbon storage. Communities managing these territories have demonstrated long-standing stewardship practices that contribute to ecosystem stability. Healthy land, including soils and water, plays a significant role in climate mitigation and adaptation. According to the UNCCD estimates, drought losses now exceed USD 300 billion annually, and large parts of the world are becoming progressively drier. Billions of people could face increasing aridity in the coming decades. In this context, strengthening recognition of customary tenure is not only about justice – it is about safeguarding ecosystems and supporting communities that are already on the frontlines of climate stress. A structural data and governance gap Land is central to food security, climate action and sustainable development – yet information about land tenure arrangements and the security of those rights remains patchy. Only a limited number of countries report fully on land-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators. Compared to sectors such as health or public finance, land tenure data are far less available and often not publicly accessible. The assessment calls for stronger national data systems, clearer legal frameworks and better alignment with international standards, including the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT), endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security and supported by FAO – the only globally agreed framework that sets standards for how land tenure rights should be recognized and protected. These guidelines form the foundation for a number of critical policy decisions of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties.  Without reliable and transparent information, it becomes harder for governments to track progress and meet commitments under the SDGs and the Rio Conventions – the three global agreements on climate change, biodiversity and desertification. Governance at the heart of restoration These themes were further explored during a joint side event convened by the UNCCD together with TMG Think Tank for Sustainability – an independent research and policy institute focused on land governance and environmental justice – as well as the Robert Bosch Foundation and other partners. The discussion underscored that restoration, food security, and resilience cannot be separated from land governance systems. Transparent land administration, inclusive decision-making, and legal certainty are foundational conditions for sustainable land management. Governments have pledged to restore one billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, with nearly half of that commitment under the UNCCD framework. Achieving this ambition will require more than finance and technical solutions. It will require trust and equity for the people who depend on the land. “Land underpins food systems, climate stability and livelihoods,” said Dr Barron Joseph Orr, Chief Scientist of the UNCCD. “Without responsible and inclusive land governance that safeguards land tenure, the intended positive impacts of restoration efforts risk being temporary. Securing land rights is not simply about the four "R's" of Redistribution, Restitution, Recognition, and Regulation - it is about creating the conditions that allow communities to restore land and sustain it for generations to come.” Photo (c) : FORESCA

Across Southern Africa, drought is no longer an occasional shock — it is a recurring reality shaping landscapes, economies and daily life. As climate variability increases, pressure on land, water systems and rural livelihoods continues to grow. In Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Madagascar, the impacts are increasingly severe and they fall hardest on women and local communities who depend on land and natural resources to feed families and earn an income. In Madagascar, more than 9 million hectares (over 15 per cent of the country’s land area) are affected by drought, with some regions experiencing near-total crop failure during prolonged dry events. Mozambique faces frequent seasonal droughts that threaten food security for over 4 million people, particularly in its central and southern provinces. In Zimbabwe, recurring drought episodes have put nearly three million hectares of farmland at risk, with smallholder farmers and pastoralist communities most affected. Across these countries, drought disproportionately impacts women, who make up the majority of smallholder farmers, and other vulnerable groups dependent on agriculture and natural resources for their livelihoods. Yet the story is not only about risk. It is also about opportunity: how these countries are designing gender-smart, community-led solutions that turn drought resilience into livelihoods, restore degraded land and protect food and income while advancing sustainable land management and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). A key shift is placing women and local communities at the center — not only as beneficiaries, but as leaders of resilient livelihoods and value chains. This means recognizing women’s role in managing farms, water and household food security while tackling the barriers they face in accessing land, finance, skills, markets and decision-making. It also means strengthening community institutions so local knowledge and priorities shape what resilience looks like on the ground. Another big change is using drought risk data together with economic and livelihood analysis to identify where resilience investments can create real opportunities. In practice, this helps countries move from broad vulnerability profiles to concrete ideas that match local realities: which landscapes are most at risk, which groups are most exposed, what options can reduce pressure on land and water, and which interventions can generate reliable incomes even during dry periods. Countries are also working to develop scalable investment ideas — from climate-resilient agriculture to water management — that can attract blended finance and align with national priorities. Examples discussed through this work include community-based water management that secures access during dry spells, climate-resilient agriculture that stabilizes yields, and women-led enterprises that diversify income while reducing vulnerability and restoring degraded land. These solutions are designed to be practical, locally anchored and capable of expanding beyond pilot sites. “Women and local communities are already on the front line of drought. When they lead the solutions — supported by secure land tenure together with access to finance and investment-ready plans — resilience becomes real: it protects food and incomes today and restores land for generations to come,” emphasizes Louise Baker, Managing Director of the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD. This work is being advanced through the Gender-Transformative Drought Resilience in Transition States in Southern Africa (GRDSA) Project, supporting Madagascar, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to help countries prepare drought investment plans, strategies and pipelines. The GRDSA Project does not finance investments directly. Instead, it focuses on project preparation so countries can later mobilize additional public and private finance, building on existing national policies, drought monitoring systems and vulnerability assessments rather than duplicating them. National inception workshops held in 2025, alongside a regional exchange, helped set this work in motion. The project is financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Canada and implemented by the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD. Photography (c) : Global Water Partnership Southern Africa, Krees Raharison

The Guna use eco-taxes to protect their forests, feed their people and save their culture