COP16 Presidency Showcases International Efforts to Protect Land and Combat Drought on the Sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly

New York, USA – 24 September 2025 - The Presidency of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16), held by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, emphasized the importance of strengthening international efforts to protect land and mitigate the impacts of drought during its participation in a number of international events held alongside the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80).

From 23 to 25 September, the COP16 Presidency is hosting a series of international events and activities aimed at advancing multilateral cooperation to confront global environmental challenges. These include a high-level session on enhancing coordination at COP 30 to direct agricultural investments toward sustainable land management and achieving land degradation neutrality, and a special session on rangeland degradation, “Carrying Momentum from COP16 Riyadh to COP17 Mongolia.” Other events include the session “Empowering Communities, Securing the Future: Financing Food Systems,” and the Business4Land Forum under the theme “From Commitment to Action,” which focuses on boosting private sector engagement in land, nature, and climate issues.

The COP16 Presidency is also organizing a special event on drought, bringing together the Presidents of the three Rio Conventions: the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This gathering reflects the importance of integration and joint cooperation among the Conventions to advance the global environmental agenda and to strengthen programs and financing mechanisms that benefit both people and nature.

This participation demonstrates the COP16 Presidency's commitment to continuing to lead international dialogue on critical environmental issues, foremost among them land restoration and strengthening global capacity to confront drought challenges, by building effective partnerships and stimulating cooperation among all stakeholders.