By George George Idowu
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is set to spare head Africa’s priorities on sustainable land management at the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The conference, with the theme “Our Land. Our Future,” will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13, 2024, and it also commemorates the 30th anniversary of UNCCD
AfDB a key partner of the UNCCD, will leverage on this opportunity to champion Africa’s voice and mobilize global support for initiatives such as the Great Green Wall (GGW) and other land restoration efforts across the continent.
Building on its success at COP15 in Abidjan, AfDB will lead strategic engagements and co-host high-level events in collaboration with the African Union and the UNCCD Secretariat which include a ministerial roundtable on resource mobilization for the GGW initiative, which has already benefitted from the Bank’s $6.5 billion commitment.
Other major events will focus on innovative financing for drought resilience and scaling up sustainable land use planning in Africa.
The bank’s delegation will also advocate for the adoption of a legally binding protocol on drought and strengthen partnerships to accelerate the continent’s land restoration agenda, with a particular emphasis on knowledge dissemination and private sector involvement.
AfDB aims to bolster drought resilience and combat land degradation in Africa’s most vulnerable regions.
Additionally, AfDB will contribute to the unveiling of the UNCCD Needs Assessment Report, emphasizing the urgency of partnerships to address Africa’s funding gaps in land restoration.
Other key events will include the launching of a financing program for drought resilience in the Horn of Africa, thematic discussions on sustainable agriculture, and policy dialogues on the links between land degradation, migration, and security.
COP16 will be the first-ever session hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region, a hotspot for desertification, land degradation, and drought.
As one of the largest multilateral conferences ever hosted by Saudi Arabia, COP16 will convene 197 parties, providing a vital platform to address global challenges of desertification.
COP16’s thematic days, including Land Day, Agri-food System Day, and Resilience Day, will further highlight the role of healthy ecosystems, sustainable farming, and climate adaptation in shaping a resilient future.
AfDB participation underscores its commitment to turning Africa’s land challenges into opportunities for sustainable development.
As the world gathers in Riyadh to commemorate the UNCCD’s milestones, the African Development Bank will continue to lead Africa’s push for tangible solutions to desertification, land degradation, and drought, paving the way for a greener, more resilient continent.