RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will participate in the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Mongolia on Monday, marking the conclusion of its landmark presidency.
The COP17 summit, which runs from Aug. 17 to 28 in Ulaanbaatar, brings together states, parties, international organizations, and key environmental stakeholders. Saudi Arabia will formally hand over the COP presidency to Mongolia following a term defined by the rollout of major global initiatives launched at COP16 in Riyadh.
Building on its expanding role in international environmental diplomacy, the Kingdom will use the conference to highlight key global programs launched during its tenure and report on the progress achieved.
These include the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, the Riyadh Action Agenda — which has expanded from 35 to more than 100 initiatives — the Sand and Dust Storm Monitoring Initiative, and the operationalization of the Land4Business framework.
The handover follows Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 in Riyadh in December 2024, which marked the first time a Middle Eastern country had presided over the UN’s primary land degradation conference. That historic summit set a precedent by mobilizing a record $12 billion in financial commitments — including $10 billion from the Arab Coordination Group — and bringing together nearly 45,000 delegates across 197 represented parties.
