Press Release

Consultative Meeting of Development Partners Held in Preparation for COP17

21 April 2025

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia –– As the host for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2026, Mongolia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), in collaboration with the United Nations in Mongolia, held a consultative meeting to bring all stakeholders onboard for the successful organization of this important global forum.

COP17 DPG meeting — Caption: Participants at the consultative meeting

The meeting, held on April 21, 2025, was attended by over 30 representatives from the Office of the President of Mongolia, the relevant ministries, as well as the embassies, diplomatic missions, and international development organizations, including the UN agencies in Mongolia.

Welcoming the participants to the consultative meeting, H.E. Battsetseg Batmunkh, MFA Minister, highlighted Mongolia’s vision to position the conference as a solutions-driven event that promotes collaboration, innovation, and tangible outcomes.

“It will also be an opportunity to reaffirm our collective commitment to achieving the Land Degradation Neutrality targets under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said Minister B.Battsetseg.

In her keynote speech, H.E. Odontuya Saldan, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, emphasized that Mongolia, being highly vulnerable to desertification, offers a strategic platform to draw global attention to the underrepresented challenges of drylands.

Representing the collective efforts of the UN system support to Mongolia on the preparation for the COP17, UN Resident Coordinator Jaap van Hierden applauded Mongolia’s leadership in the global response to land degradation and desertification.

During the meeting, Mongolia’s representatives shared the National policy framework, roadmap, and a potential area of collaboration for successful COP17 with the international partners.

2026 is also a landmark year in the global efforts to fight land degradation, marking the International Year of Pastures and Nomadic Livestock – a UN initiative strongly championed by Mongolia.

UN Resident Coordinator called the development partners to join hands to ensure COP17 becomes a milestone for Mongolia and the global fight against desertification.

“We count on our continued partnership. Our shared experiences, ideas, and support are key to making this conference a success,” said Mr. Jaap van Hierden.

Read full speech by Mr Jaap van Hierden