COP17: Finance, water, land top agenda as UN desertification talks enter final stretch in Mongolia

The second and decisive week of the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, UNCCD COP17, began on Monday, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, marking a sharp shift from general negotiations to high-level ministerial dialogues.

Over the next five days, discussions inside the conference halls and sideline meetings will be guided by daily thematic priorities as parties race to finalise decisions and an Action Agenda before the conference closes on 28 August.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that dignitaries have arrived in the last 24 hours to steer the final stretch. They include UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, alongside dozens of ministers and vice ministers from across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Similarly, some top government officials from Nigeria, both at the federal and state levels, have arrived in Mongolia for the final week of deliberations.

COP17 in Mongolia

The 17th session of the UNCCD Land is being hosted by Mongolia in its capital, Ulaanbaatar, from 17 to 28 August under the theme, “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.”

According to the United Nations, COP17 is expected to bring together delegates from UNCCD’s 197 Parties, alongside government, business and civil society leaders, scientists, young people, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists and smallholder farmers.

They will deliberate on solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought, with a focus on how land restoration can help reduce instability, prevent displacement and strengthen human and national security in vulnerable regions.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that at least 60 delegates from Nigeria are expected to participate in the conference.

“Land is our most vital infrastructure — underpinning food security, water, livelihoods and stability. When land fails, insecurity rises — through lost livelihoods, forced displacement and increased competition over scarce resources. With UNCCD COP17, Mongolia is offering the world a powerful message: Restoring Land, Restoring Hope is not only an environmental agenda, but a development and resilience priority,” UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad said.

She said that as drought intensifies and land degradation accelerates, the conference must promote practical, investable solutions, including restoring degraded land and soils and strengthening the land-water nexus, to enable communities to thrive.

According to the UNCCD Data Dashboard, approximately 11.96 per cent of Africa’s total land area was recorded as degraded in baseline reporting. In comparison, Nigeria reports roughly 23.41 per cent, or 21.07 million hectares, of its total land area as degraded.

In Nigeria, authorities have said more than 50 per cent of the country’s rangelands and grazing routes have been degraded, a development that has contributed to farmer-herder conflicts affecting communities across the country for decades.

Nigeria, alongside other African countries, seeks to advance a legally binding instrument on drought management. The proposed instrument would essentially establish a protocol for managing drought. Other areas include finance, which the Nigerian focal point person to the UNCCD said is crucial for securing more financial support to meet national needs and fund the country’s National Adaptation Plans.

Tight rules, high stakes

To maximise participation, organisers said all speakers in the Ministerial Dialogue on Monday will be limited to three minutes. Microphones will be timed and will automatically cut off. Delegates not present when called will be moved to the end of the list.

Ministers expected to speak include those from Nigeria, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Cameroon, Senegal, Uganda, Zimbabwe, the UAE, Botswana, and Haiti. Vice ministers from Russia, Indonesia, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and South Korea, as well as heads of delegation from the EU, UK, France, Australia, Egypt, and Mexico, are also listed.

Thematic Week: From finance to food systems

Each day of this week has been assigned a focus area:

August 24 – Finance Day

Talks will centre on mobilising public and private investment for land restoration and drought resilience. The headline event is a Ministerial Dialogue on Innovative Financial Mechanisms for Healthy Land and Drought Resilience.

This year’s dialogue puts a spotlight on rangelands — drylands, grasslands, shrublands, wetlands and deserts — which cover over 50% of the Earth’s land surface. Despite supporting millions of pastoralists and storing carbon, about half are degraded.

Key issues: land rights for pastoralists and indigenous communities, sustainable value chains for livestock and non-timber products, and payment for ecosystem services.

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The Rangelands Flagship Initiative and a new report, The Economics of Rangelands Restoration, will also be launched. Business4Land and Mining Forums will attract private-sector capital.

August 25 – Water Day

Focus shifts to sustainable water management, water security, and climate-resilient infrastructure to protect degraded ecosystems.

August 26 – Land & People Day

Discussions will address land degradation neutrality, community participation, and the human impacts of desertification, including displacement and climate migration. The roles of women, youth, and civil society will be central.

August 27 – Food Systems & Soil Health Day

The agenda covers regenerative agriculture, soil health, and climate-resilient food production to combat global soil degradation.

Institutional Milestones

2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, and dedicated sessions will focus on protecting pastoralist livelihoods.

The week will also witness the first formal convenings of the UNCCD Indigenous Peoples Caucus and the Local Communities Caucus — giving marginalised groups a direct voice in negotiations.

Organisers say the thematic days are designed to turn global commitments into measurable action and to strengthen collaboration between governments, the private sector, financial institutions, and development partners.

With desertification accelerating across the Sahel and other drylands, including northern Nigeria, outcomes from Ulaanbaatar are expected to shape national policies and funding priorities in the coming years.