UNCCD and Côte d'Ivoire sign the COP15 host country agreement

The Government of Côte d'Ivoire and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) jointly signed the Host Country Agreement, the official binding protocol between the organization and the country hosting the 15th Conference of the Parties of the UNCCD (COP15, May 9-20).

During the signing, H. E. Mr. Jean Sansan Kambilé, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, on behalf of H. E. Mrs. Kandia Camara, Minister of Foreign Affairs of African Integration and of the Diaspora of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, underlined the geopolitical importance of hosting this event, stressing the economic benefits of restoring land and its benefits to the local population.

Therefore, the 15th Conference of the Parties of the UNCCD in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, is particularly relevant on a regional and global scale as it gives the host country the opportunity to set an example for land restoration initiatives across the West Africa region.

Highlighting Côte d'Ivoire's leadership, UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw, stated that “The Abidjan Legacy Programme is one tangible outcome of UNCCD COP15 that will boost long-term sustainable development across major value chains in Côte d’Ivoire, while protecting and restoring forests and lands and improving communities’ resilience to climate change. Côte d’Ivoire’s leadership in implementing this ambitious and promising programme is a commitment to advancing land restoration.

The signing ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, H. E. Mr. Jean-Luc Assi, at the premises of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.