Budget consultations ahead of UNCCD COP16

The international community has recognized the importance of addressing land degradation and building resilience to drought as the basic conditions for food and water security and for achieving the objectives on climate change and biodiversity.

This acknowledgement has translated into a growing demand on the UNCCD secretariat and the Global Mechanism for information, policy guidance, convening of partners and measures to facilitate implementation and resource mobilization, along with an evolving intergovernmental negotiations agenda in the meetings of the COP and its subsidiary bodies. However, the growth in the workload has not been reflected in core resources provided to the secretariat and the Global Mechanism to support Parties in their efforts to implement the UNCCD. 

During its meeting on 13 November 2023, the Bureau of COP 15 considered, among other matters, the status of the UNCCD core budget. As background, the UNCCD secretariat provided information showing that although the Convention process has significantly evolved during the last decade, the budget has remained at the same level. The secretariat also presented how during the 2022-2024 budget triennium, high inflation has further decreased the real value of the budget.  

The COP Bureau recognized the severity of the budget issues and noted that the situation should be thoroughly considered in the decision on the next biennium budget, to be made at UNCCD COP16 in December 2024 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Bureau proposed that the secretariat organize an informal meeting for information-sharing and discussion toward the next UNCCD COP. Two such informal online consultation meetings took place on 13 March and 22 May 2024, both of which were chaired by Ms. Marine Collignon of France. In these meetings, the UNCCD secretariat presented detailed information about the status of the current UNCCD budget and potential elements for the next budget 2025-2026, and Parties were invited to comment and ask questions. The meetings were open to all Parties, and the documents that were provided for them are available through the link on right. 

Guided by the feedback that was received during the informal online consultation meetings, the secretariat is now preparing the official budget documentation to be submitted for the consideration of COP16.  In line with the document deadlines for the COP, this documentation is scheduled to be available as an advance copy in early September. After that, the budget matters may be discussed, if Parties so wish, in the regional meetings preparatory to the COP.  Further informal online consultations may also be organized, if needed. 

For comments and questions concerning the UNCCD budget process, please contact Mr. Somarajan Pillai spillai [at] unccd.int (spillai[at]unccd[dot]int) and Ms. Satu Ravola sravola [at] unccd.int (sravola[at]unccd[dot]int).