Saudi Arabia has handed the presidency of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of the Parties to Mongolia, concluding a two-year term that helped elevate land degradation, desertification and drought resilience on the global agenda and translate commitments made at COP16 into practical initiatives and partnerships.
The handover took place at the opening of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, which runs from August 17 to 28, 2026. Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, handed over the COP presidency on behalf of Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and COP16 President Eng. Abdulrahman Alfadley to Mongolia's Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh. The handover reaffirmed the commitment to collective action to address global environmental challenges, particularly land degradation, desertification and drought.
In remarks delivered on his behalf by Dr. Osama Faqeeha, the minister said Saudi Arabia's participation in the opening of the 17th session reflects its firm commitment to continuing multilateral efforts to address land degradation, drought and desertification, helping strengthen food security and protect ecosystems. He stressed that this requires effective partnerships and international cooperation involving all parties to the convention, as well as international and regional organizations, the private sector and civil society.
Alfadley said Saudi Arabia's decision to host the previous session reflected its commitment to protecting the environment as a cornerstone of sustainable development. During its COP16 presidency, the Kingdom worked with the convention's secretariat and partners to advance the agreement's goals by participating in about 50 international events.
Those efforts included strengthening coordination among the three Rio Conventions and expanding the involvement of the private sector and international financial institutions through the Business4Land initiative. Saudi Arabia also seeks to turn international commitments into practical action through the Riyadh Action Agenda, which has grown to include 100 supporting initiatives.
The COP16 presidency also placed a strong focus on advancing global efforts to address drought. This included convening a ministerial dialogue, supporting drought negotiations, and launching the Tafa'ul Track, an informal dialogue among representatives from different regions. The Kingdom also launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership (RGDRP), bringing together representatives from 64 countries and 30 international organizations. Financial pledges in support of the partnership have surpassed $2 billion.
Saudi Arabia also highlighted the progress made during its COP16 presidency, including efforts to protect the environment and natural resources, expand vegetation cover and promote sustainable approaches to combating desertification. These efforts were pursued through five integrated tracks aimed at maintaining international attention to land and drought issues worldwide.
COP16, held in Riyadh, drew nearly 100,000 participants from more than 170 countries, along with hundreds of international organizations, private-sector representatives, academic institutions and civil society groups. The conference featured more than 800 events covering a wide range of issues related to land degradation, desertification and drought, including governance, financing, research and innovation. The conference also produced the Riyadh Declaration and many landmark decisions addressing agricultural and rangelands, as well as the participation of local communities.
During its COP16 Presidency, Saudi Arabia launched several international initiatives to strengthen global efforts to address drought and land degradation. Key initiatives included the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, which secured international pledges of more than $2 billion over 10 years, as well as the International Sand and Dust Storm Monitoring Initiative, the Business 4Land initiative to mobilize the private sector in restoring degraded land, and the Riyadh Action Agenda, which promotes collective action and voluntary commitments across sectors to advance sustainable land management and tackle drought worldwide.
With Mongolia now taking over the COP presidency, Saudi Arabia's two-year tenure comes to an end, leaving behind a record of initiatives, partnerships and implementation mechanisms designed to turn the outcomes of the Riyadh conference into concrete action on the ground.
Saudi Arabia looks forward to continuing its cooperation with Mongolia's COP17 presidency and all parties to the convention to sustain progress toward the UNCCD's goals, advance global efforts to restore degraded land and strengthen resilience to drought.