المملكة: “COP16″… $12 billion pledges to finance drought response initiatives

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) in Riyadh was able to mobilize international efforts to present more than 100 initiatives.
Obtaining more than $12 billion in funding pledges from major international organizations, which led to strengthening the role of financial institutions and the private sector in combating land degradation, desertification and drought.
In the last days of negotiations and conference activities, the conference presidency announced a group of major international partnerships to support land reclamation efforts.
Also, strengthening capabilities to cope with drought, which will contribute to restoring hope to about 2.3 billion people suffering from droughts and global crises resulting from continued land degradation.

Providing support for existing initiatives

During its presidency of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification over the next two years, the Kingdom will work to enhance cooperation with countries, the private sector, financial institutions, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.

This is in order to provide support for existing initiatives within the framework of global efforts to address these challenges, or to provide support for new initiatives.
Dr. said. Osama Fakih, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Advisor to the COP16 Presidency, Riyadh: “The Riyadh Action Agenda helped mobilize actors from countries and organizations around the world.”
He continued: However, we see this conference as merely the beginning that heralds subsequent positive effects.
He added: In this regard, the Kingdom’s presidency will continue to coordinate with everyone from the investment community, non-governmental organizations, scholars, and even indigenous peoples and farmers, in order to permanently advance its global heritage, so that we can ultimately achieve the desired results, and translate the goal of the agreement, which is to rehabilitate… 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land globally by 2030.

Dealing with drought challenges

Dr. said. Fakiha: The Riyadh Global Partnership will bring about a radical shift in how we deal with drought challenges around the world.
By relying on the collective influence of major global institutions, drought management will shift from emergency response and dealing with crises after they occur, to adopting a proactive approach, by strengthening early warning systems, providing financing, and working to assess vulnerabilities and mitigate drought risks.
This approach is a historic moment to combat drought internationally, which makes it imperative for countries, companies, institutions, scientists, non-governmental organizations, financial institutions and communities to join this important partnership for the whole world.

Highlighting innovative solutions

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, said: “We express our deep gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the first Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in the Middle East and North Africa region, as it was able to highlight innovative solutions and showcase pioneering regional efforts on issues… lands and drought.

600 activities and events

The conference presidency announced that more than 24,000 registered participants shared their experiences in more than 600 activities and events within the first action agenda in which non-governmental actors participated in the mechanisms of the agreement’s work, and included youth groups, women, indigenous peoples, and other topics related to land sustainability.
Within the framework of the Riyadh Action Agenda, the conference witnessed the launch of the Riyadh Global Partnership for Resilience in the Face of Drought.
The partnership was able to obtain financing worth two billion dollars to finance drought resistance efforts and initiatives.