COP17 to Address Land Restoration and Food Security

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is set to take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17 to 28, 2026. The conference will focus on land restoration, drought resilience, and food security, under the theme "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope." Yasmin Fouad, the UNCCD Executive Secretary, highlighted the importance of COP17 as an opportunity to mobilize finance and translate commitments into real impacts on the ground.

She noted that over the past decade, countries have committed to restoring one billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, with 70 nations already adopting national drought plans. The conference aims to address the financial gap in land restoration, estimated at $1 billion daily, and will bring together 197 parties, scientists, and private sector actors to advance land restoration efforts.

The outcomes of COP17 are expected to be critical for Nigeria and other developing countries in seeking stronger financial commitments and technological support to combat land degradation and drought impacts.