“Restoring Land, Restoring Hope”: UNCCD COP17 Theme Announced During Executive Secretary Yasmin Fouad’s Visit to Mongolia

“Land is our most vital infrastructure - underpinning food security, water, livelihoods, and stability. When land fails, insecurity rises - through lost livelihoods, forced displacement, and increased competition over scarce resources. With UNCCD COP17, Mongolia is offering the world a powerful message: Restoring Land, Restoring Hope is not only an environmental agenda, but a development and resilience priority. As drought intensifies and land degradation accelerates, the conference must drive practical, investable solutions - from restoring degraded land and soils to strengthening the land-water nexus - so that communities can thrive,” stated UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad.

Mongolia officially announced the theme of UNCCD COP17 - “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope” - during the visit of Executive Secretary Fouad, who was in the country from 3 to 6 February 2026, to discuss national preparations for hosting the global conference in August 2026.

Throughout her mission, the Executive Secretary met with senior government officials and engaged a broad range of national and international stakeholders to strengthen coordination, enhance public awareness, and ensure inclusive participation in the run-up to COP17.

On 3 February, Ms. Fouad was received by Prime Minister G. Zandanshatar, who reaffirmed Mongolia’s strong commitment to delivering a successful COP17. She expressed appreciation for the Government’s leadership and highlighted the importance of early nomination of the COP17 President, close coordination with the current COP16 Presidency, and the essential role of the UN Resident Coordinator in supporting effective national implementation and communication efforts.

During her meeting with N. Uchral, Speaker of Parliament, the alignment of COP17 with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026 - a Mongolian-led global initiative adopted by the United Nations - was underscored. Ms. Fouad emphasized that IYRP 2026 presents a unique opportunity for Mongolia to demonstrate global leadership on sustainable land management and promote the heritage and knowledge of pastoralist communities. Ms. Fouad further noted that hosting COP17 gives Mongolia - one of the countries most affected by desertification and land degradation - a platform to elevate land issues on the global agenda and showcase innovative solutions rooted in local experience.

A central focus of her visit was strengthening public awareness around COP17 and deepening national understanding of land-related negotiations, the impacts of land degradation and drought, and the links between land health, livelihoods, and food security.

The Executive Secretary also convened a briefing with Heads of Diplomatic Missions and representatives of international organizations, discussing priorities for effective negotiations at COP17, gender equality considerations, and key logistical elements such as accommodation capacity and arrangements for high-level delegations.

Engagement with civil society, youth, and NGOs was another priority. Ms. Fouad encouraged broader participation of Mongolian civil society, youth groups, and indigenous and local community representatives in COP17 processes, including through youth ambassador initiatives and global programmes such as “Land Heroes” and “Sports for Land”. She noted that eight Mongolian NGOs are currently accredited to the UNCCD and encouraged additional organizations to join.

A Business4Land dialogue, held in collaboration with the Business Council of Mongolia, brought together senior private-sector leaders to explore the role of business in land restoration, the potential of land as an investment opportunity, and ways to align corporate sustainability ambitions with innovation and long-term value creation.

During the visit, UN Resident Coordinator Jaap van Hierden reiterated UN Mongolia’s full support for the successful organization of COP17, in close partnership with the Government of Mongolia and key stakeholders in-country.

Ms. Fouad’s visit marks a significant milestone in Mongolia’s preparations for COP17 - reinforcing national leadership, energizing stakeholder engagement, and building momentum toward a successful conference that positions Mongolia at the forefront of global efforts to combat desertification and restore degraded land.

More: UNCCD 17th session of the Conference of the Parties | UNCCD