Eritrea Participates in Conference of Parties of UN Convention to Combat Desertification

Asmara, 04 December 2024 – Eritrea is participating in the Sixteenth Conference of Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2–16 December 2024, under the theme “Our Land. Our Future.”

The delegation, led by Mr. Semere Amlesom, Director General of the Agricultural Extension Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, is expected to participate in the high-level segment, plenary discussions, and technical sessions addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought.

According to official information, this COP is the largest-ever meeting of the UNCCD’s 196 country parties and the European Union. It is anticipated to be a landmark event for accelerating actions related to land restoration, drought resilience, and green transitions.

The UNCCD reports that 40% of the Earth’s surface is affected by land degradation, impacting the lives of 3.2 billion people. Additionally, approximately 100 million hectares of land deteriorate annually. Furthermore, 86% of the UNCCD member countries (169 out of 196) are affected by desertification, land degradation, and drought.

The UNCCD was established in 1994, and Eritrea ratified its membership in 1996. The Conference of Parties of the UNCCD is held every two years, with COP15 previously convened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in 2022.