UNITED NATIONS
JOURNAL
Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16)
2-13 December 2024
UNCCD
Programme of Meetings and Agenda
Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention
CRIC 5th Meeting
Securing of additional investments and relations with financial mechanisms (continued) (item 4)
(c) Report by the Global Mechanism on progress made in the mobilization of resources for the implementation of the Convention and matters relating to Sustainable Development Goal 15.3.
(ICCD/CRIC(22)/5, ICCD/CRIC(22)/INF.1, ICCD/CRIC(22)/8)
Procedural matters: Programme of work for the twenty-third session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (item 5)
Introduction and discussion
CRIC Bureau Meeting
Forthcoming official meetings
Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention
CRIC Plenary
Contact groups
COW Contact Group on Other Matters
COW Contact Group on Other Matters - Informal Small Group on Drought
CST Contact Group
CST Contact Group
COW Contact Group on Budget
CRIC Contact Group
COW Contact Group on Other Matters
Action agenda
Opening session - Resilience to address the Challenges of land degradation, desertification, drought and water scarcity
This session will set the stage of the day and will bring high level speakers to discuss – what is needed to scale up resilience globally and increase action to combat land desertification, ecosystems degradation, drought and water scarcity.
Session 2: Scaling up Land Restoration for Resilient Ecosystems and Communities
Restoring degraded landscapes is essential for supporting sustainable livelihoods, food security and combating desertification and climate change. This session will discuss successful local and regional solutions driving land restoration efforts across Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe-Central Asia (ECA), focusing on scaling up restoration and enhancing the resilience of land, ecosystems, and communities
Session 3: Resilience through Early Warning Systems
Strengthening early warning systems is essential to improve preparedness, protect livelihoods and ecosystem, and enhance resilience in affected regions. In this session, we will explore how strengthening early warning systems can be a critical tool in managing and mitigating the impacts of sand and dust storms and droughts
Session 4: Drought Preparedness and Water Security
Droughts are increasing. It is urgent to scale up investments and policy action to reduce impacts. This session will present examples/solutions for water security and drought preparedness that can help inspire other countries to work together to address the interrelated challenges of DLDD, SDS, and water scarcity
Session 5: Closing event: Connecting DLDD, SDS and Water Scarcity with Integrated Land Solutions.
Resilience Day showcased a range of interdisciplinary and integrated actions and solutions that can be scaled up to enhance the resilience of communities, countries, and regions across the globe. It argued for an inclusive and transformative approach that promotes land restoration and nature-based solutions, long-term investment and contingency planning, risk and impact assessment, early warning systems, evidence and research for replication, capacity strengthening for scale, policy upgrades, risk financing (e.g., insurance), and a bottom-up/people-ecosystems- centered approach capable of facilitating resilience.
Other meetings
KSA Negotiation Team
EU Coordination Meeting
Indigenous Peoples Caucus
Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Africa (Annex I)
Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Central and Eastern Europe (Annex V)
CSO Consultations
Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Asia (Annex II)
Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Latin America and the Caribbean (Annex III)
Piano Mattei: The Contribution of the Italian Ecosystem on Sustainable Land Management in Africa
Riyadh Action Agenda :Science, Technology and innovation and Resilience Dialogue
The High-Level Ministerial Panel on Sustainable Water Management in Arid Regions for Drought Resilience
CRIC Bureau Meeting
Group of Arab States coordination meeting
Private Meeting
IDRO - Advancing Global Drought Resilience through Collaboration and Innovation
Indigenous Peoples Caucus
Multi-actors partnerships and localization in combating desertification, improving food security and resilience in the Sahel
Side events
201 - FAO - KSA The Role of NGOs in Restoring and Reduce Land Degradation: practices and experiences in Arab Countries
23 - Iranian Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Land management to control dust in the southeastern Ahvaz source, Khuzestan Iran
25 - Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) Empowering Resilience: Innovative Strategies for Drought Risk Management and Mitigation
300 - WWF Building Community and Ecological Resilience through the Freshwater Challenge
380 - IFRC H2O RESILIENT PEACE
76 - King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National Centre for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) Managing forest-fires in arid areas: key strategy for reducing land degradation and combating desertification
91 - Ministry of Agriculture, Zambia Building Resilience in the Face of Drought: Lessons from Zambia's 2023 El Niño Experience
106 - OECD Adapting to drought risk in the context of climate change
134 - United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources Soil Degradation in a Changing Climate: Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts
174 - Sustainable Environment Africa Union Commission, Addis Ababa Ethiopia Sustainable Solutions for Climate and Extreme Weather-Induced Insecurity and Migration in the Drylands of Africa: The Role of Sustainable Land Management and Land Restoration
174 - Head of Division. Sustainable Environment Africa Union Commission, Addis Ababa Ethiopia Sustainable Solutions for Climate and Extreme Weather-Induced Insecurity and Migration in the Drylands of Africa: The Role of Sustainable Land Management and Land Restoration
21 - United Nations University-Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability Operationalizing integrated landscape approaches towards socio-ecological resilience
29 - APEFE Actions de lutte contre la dégradation des terres et des écosystèmes dans le cadre de l’Initiative de la Grande Muraille Verte au Sahara et au Sahel au Burkina Faso
382 - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa From Policies to Actions- an African Perspective
5 - The Energy and Resources Institute Ecological Restoration of a Red Mud Dump Site through Vegetation
133 - Nature and People Foundation: On the way to the expanding the UNCCD role in global land-based solutions
166 - Tree Aid Local & Inclusive Forest Governance: a key to scale up and leverage private investment for sustainable land restoration across the Great Green Wall
282 - African Development Bank Scaling Up Land Restoration and Sustainable Land Use Planning: African Development Bank’s Contribution to Combating Land Degradation
34 - United Nations University Vice Rectorate in Europe (UNU-VIE) Leveraging Digital and Innovative Technologies for Agricultural Water Management
357 - British Society of Soil Science Securing the future for people and planet – managing soils for a resilient, sustainable future
367 - Desertnet International (DNI) Rethinking desertification and land restoration: bridging science, policy and practice at COP16 UNCCD
379 - The World Bank Strengthening Resilience through Landscape Restoration: Insights from Africa, Latino America and ECA regions (World Bank - landscape restoration for resilience)
388 - EARTHNA/Qatar - Panel discussion on Sustainability and Traditional Urbanism
195 - International Water Management Institute Drought Agile: Building Resilient Communities through Integrated Drought Programme
255 - Global Water Partnership Catalyzing Drought Resilience: The Integrated Drought Management Programme
262 - World Food Programme, Regional Bureau for Southern Africa Nature-based solutions to land and water management in improving soil health and combating desertification in Southern Africa
27 - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Integrated planning and effective institutional coordination for drought management
322 - UNDP & UN-Water Collaboration for impact on desertification: implementing the UN’s System Wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation”
330 - The Nature Conservancy The Essential Role of Nature in Drought Resilience
69 - Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) Building Strong Communities that are Resilient to Climate Change and Economic Shocks in the Zambezi Watercourse
73 - The National Program for the Conversion of Degraded Pastures into Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Production System (PNCPD) – A Brazilian strategy to stop and prevent the desertification and to promote the conservation of the soil.
79 - Desertification and Human Mobility in the Central American Dry Corridor: Integrated Strategies for Resilience and Adaptation
353 - Multi-actors partnerships and localization in combating desertification, improving food security and resilience in the Sahel
124 - Natural Capitalism Solutions Regenerative Agriculture vs. Mechanistic Farming: Building Resilience and Nourishing Communities
167 - United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) - Global Water Operators’ Partnership Alliance (GWOPA) Unlocking the potential of wastewater: An approach towards circular economy to restore land
178 - AOAD Drought risk management and mitigation strategy for the Arab region
249 - Italian Agency for Development Cooperation “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”: A Proverb that inspires Drought Resilience in Africa
263 - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) UN Coalition to Combat Sand and Dust Storms: Resilient Actions and Commitments for Combating SDS
274 - World Meteorological Organization Outcomes of Drought Resilience +10 Conference: From Geneva to Riyadh and Beyond
289 - OSS Evidence-based analysis of SDG 15.3.1 in Africa: Leveraging innovative tools for " land degradation monitoring and Reporting in Africa
46 - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa Restoring Landscapes in South Africa (ReLISA)
Summary of meetings
Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention
Monday, 9 December 2024
4th Meeting
Effective implementation of the Convention at national, subregional and regional levels [item 2]
(d) Development and promotion of activities for targeted capacity-building to further the implementation of the Convention
The Committee resumed its consideration of the item and began its consideration of the sub-item.
The Chief of Science, Technology and Innovation of the UNCCD secretariat made a statement.
Statements were made by the following panellists: Mr. Tatenda Lemann (Centre for Development and Environment); Mr. Patrice Burger, Chair and Founder of the Centre d’Actions et de Réalisations Internationales; Mr. Khalid Cherki, Head of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests of Morocco; Ms. Helene Gichenje, Early Career Scientist Fellow of the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface.
The Committee viewed a pre-recorded statement by Mr. Ludwig Liagre, Founder of Rio Impact and Consultant of the Joint Rio Conventions Capacity-building Programme.
Statements were made by the following representatives: Ecuador (on behalf of the Regional Implementation Annex for Latin America and the Caribbean (Annex III)), the European Union, Argentina, Liberia, Kazakhstan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Bahrain.
Statements were also made by representatives of: the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and a civil society organization on behalf of civil society organizations.
The panelists responded to the questions and comments posed.
Committee of the Whole
Monday Decembre 9, 2024
4th Meeting
Procedural matters [item 7]
(b) Participation and involvement of the private sector in meetings and processes of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the business engagement strategy
The Committee began its consideration of the sub-item.
An introductory statement was made by the representative of the Global Mechanism.
A statement was made by the representative of the European Union.
The representative of the Global Mechanism responded to comments made from the floor.
The Committee decided that further discussions on this item in its totality be taken up in COW Contact group 2.
2018–2030 Strategic Framework of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification [item 2]
(b) Review of progress in the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification communication plan
The Committee began its consideration of the sub-item.
An introductory statement was made by the representative of the UNCCD secretariat.
Statements were made by the representatives of the European Union and Ecuador.
The representative of the UNCCD secretariat responded to comments made from the floor.
Promotion and strengthening relationships with other relevant conventions and international organizations, institutions and agencies [item 3]
The Committee began its consideration of the item.
An introductory statement was made by the representative of the UNCCD secretariat.
Statements were made by the representatives of China, Colombia, the European Union, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Uruguay, the State of Palestine, the Republic of Korea and India.
Statements were also made by the representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme and UN Women, as well as by a representative of civil society.
The representative of the UNCCD secretariat responded to comments made from the floor.
The Committee decided that further discussions on this item in its totality be taken up in COW Contact group 2.
The representative of China (m) made a statement.
Procedural matters [item 7]
(a) Participation and involvement of civil society organizations in meetings and processes of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
The Committee began its consideration of the sub-item.
An introductory statement was made by the representative of the UNCCD secretariat.
A presentation was made by the representative of the CSO Panel.
Statements were made by the representatives of Brazil, Guatemala, the European Union, China, Morocco, Eswatini, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.
The representative of the UNCCD secretariat responded to comments made from the floor.
The Committee decided that further discussions on this item in its totality be taken up in CoW Contact group 2.
(c) Programme of work for the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties
The Chair [f] made a statement.
A statement was made by a representative of civil society.
The Committee decided that further discussions on these items in their totality be taken up in COW Contact group 2.
Conference of the Parties - Open Dialogue Session
Monday, 9 December 2024
7th Meeting
Organizational matters [item 1]
(c) Election of officers other than the President
(i)Election of Vice-Presidents
The Committee resumed its consideration of the sub-item.
The Committee designated Mr. Khalid Cherri of Morocco as Rapporteur of the Conference at its sixteenth session.
Inclusion of activities of non-governmental organizations within the official programme of work of the Conference of the Parties: open dialogue session
Second open dialogue session on “Civil society perspectives on how to foster co-creation of Local Knowledge and Science, Technology and Innovation”
The dialogue was moderated by Ms. Ellen Otaru Okoedion, who made a statement.
An opening statement was delivered by Mr. Tarja Halonen, Former President of Finland and UNCCD Ambassador.
A keynote statement was made by Ms. Celeste Drake, Deputy Director General of the International Labour Organization.
Presentations were made by the following panellists: Ms. Fatou Diouf (Enda Tiers Monde, Senegal), Ms. Tiffany Marcelle (Caribbean Youth Environment Network, Dominica), Ms. Mawe Moumbe épse Nzoda (Youth Action for Sustainable Development, Cameroon), Ms. Jiajia Luo (China Green Foundation) and Ms. Valentina Kastarakova (Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee and representative of the Indigenous People of the Altai Region, Russian Federation).
Statements were made by the representatives of Brazil, Cambodia, the European Union, Guatemala, Yemen, China, the United States of America, Ecuador, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Kenya, and Burundi as well as by the representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The panelists responded to comments made and questions posed from the floor.
Announcements
Provisional list of registered participants
The provisional list of registered participants attending the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16), the twenty-second session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC22), and the sixteenth session of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST16) to the UNCCD can be viewed here.
The list has been generated based on the information entered directly into the Indico registration system by each participant and has been prepared based on the information received by the secretariat as of Thursday, 5 December 2024.
Each delegation is requested to send corrections via accrediation [at] unccd.int (e-mail) by Wednesday, 11 December 2024, at the latest.
The official document containing the final list of participants will be issued after the closure of the sessions. It will consider any additional information received by the secretariat prior to its issuance.
Registration for Delegates
Registration for delegations of country Parties, United Nations organisations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, side event participants, media and other participants will take place as follows:
Any changes to the opening hours of the registration desk will be communicated in the Official Journal of the session.
Identity badges will be issued at the time of registration, and participants are requested to wear them at all times, as they will not be allowed access to the session venue without presenting them.
Airport Shuttle Departure Timetable (from each hotel)
On December 8th, the departure operation for the regular delegation is set to begin. There will be no shuttle service based on clusters; instead, buses will travel directly from each of the 15 hotels to the airport.
Note that buses will depart promptly, making stops at Terminal 5 (domestic), then Terminal 2/3 (international), before returning to the hotels.
Check the timetable for each respective hotel.
Credentials
Delegations are advised to contact Ms. Aphrodite Smagadi (00966 568701092) and Mr. Stadler Trengove (00966 568682169), AREA B, Office no 11 – Legal Office as soon as possible.
Electronic Information Service
Delegations are advised that wireless internet access is available throughout the venue. The network name is COP16 Public, and no password is required.
A Computer Center is located in Area-C, providing 100 workstations and printing facilities. An ICT Helpdesk counter is also available in the same area to assist with technical support.
A link to the stream of the meetings of the COP 16 session can be found on the UN Web TV website, the COP 16 page of the UNCCD website.
Funding for eligible participants
The Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for eligible participants will be distributed from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Please ensure you collect your allowance during these hours at the DSA room, which is located in Area C.
Lost and Found
The Lost and Found service is located near the Registration area, offering convenient access near the Main Entrance.
Media Accreditation
All journalists must be accredited to attend. Accreditation can be completed through the Online Registration System (ORS). Additional information, including the full agenda and session details, is available on the COP16 website.
For inquiries, contact press [at] unccd.int (press[at]unccd[dot]int)
Medical Support and Emergency Response
Medical services will be provided throughout the event by qualified healthcare professionals, ensuring that assistance is readily available. The Medical Care Center is located near the Registration area, close to the Main Entrance.
Emergency Response:
- Immediate Action: Medical vehicles will be stationed on-site to ensure a rapid response in case of emergencies.
- Coordination with Local Services: Collaboration with local emergency teams will be ensured to manage serious medical situations effectively.
- Health and Safety Standards: All procedures will adhere to the most current guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health authorities.
- Ambulance Placement: Ambulances will be strategically located at key areas, including the Blue Zone and VIP sections, to ensure quick access to medical care.
You can find a list of Emergency Contact Numbers here.
The KSA Emergency number is 112 (reachable without a SIM card).
Meeting Rooms for Regional and Interest Groups
Requests for inclusion in the schedule of meetings of regional and interest groups should be communicated to:
Kayhan UI (kul [at] unccd.int (kul[at]unccd[dot]int) ; phone: 00966-544050235) or Mahamadou Tari Bako (mbako [at] unccd.int (mbako[at]unccd[dot]int) ; phone: 00966-568723965).
Shuttle Service and Interactive Map
To facilitate seamless transportation during COP 16, a dedicated shuttle service has been arranged between the conference venue and official hotels.
Use our Interactive Map to explore routes and locations, including shuttle pickup and drop-off points, along with timetables for transportation between hotels, the venue, and the airport. This resource is also available in the app under COP 16 Information.
We encourage participants to use the shuttle service to minimize environmental impact and ease transportation logistics. Thank you for contributing to a sustainable COP 16!
The UNCCD Conference App
The UNCCD Conference App is an easy tool for participants of official UNCCD events to have access to the latest conference schedules, all official documents and other relevant information related to the UNCCD process and conference logistics. It also provides information on the latest up-to-date schedule of events.
The UNCCD Conference App is relevant for all delegates and other participants of all sessions of the UNCCD Conference of Parties (COP), the Committee of Science and Technology (CST) and the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC).
