Cairo: Dr. Yasmin Fouad, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, presented a comprehensive vision for the upcoming phase during an extensive meeting with Egyptian journalists specialized in environmental issues. The meeting coincided with the 100-day mark of her assumption of the UN position. Her vision focuses on reshaping the role of the Convention and enhancing international coordination ahead of the CRIC23 (Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention) meeting in Panama at the end of the year.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Dr. Fouad emphasized that her current vision centers around linking the Desertification Convention with the two other global agreements, namely the Climate Change Convention and the Biodiversity Convention. She pointed out that one of the key aspects of this approach is the "linking of issues like land degradation, desertification, drought, and global crises, including supply chain disruptions, food systems, conflicts, forced migration, and instability in certain local communities."
In response to a question from the Middle East News Agency about Egypt's role in the next phase of the Desertification Convention, Dr. Fouad stated that Cairo had presented its national drought plan, alongside a set of ready-to-finance projects that include the restoration of pastures, preventing overgrazing, and developing modern irrigation systems. She stressed that Egypt's role in the Convention today goes beyond representing Egypt, as it serves 197 countries globally. The international success of this work reflects Egypt's regional stature in environmental and climate issues.
Dr. Fouad emphasized that desertification is no longer just a matter of vegetation cover degradation; it has evolved into a developmental and security issue, directly linked to food production, livelihoods, population displacement, and women's land rights, particularly in Africa. She noted that UN reports confirm that 40% of the world's land has already degraded, necessitating a comprehensive restructuring of countermeasures.
She further explained that the Desertification Convention has an executive advantage not found in the Climate and Biodiversity Agreements, through the Global Mechanism, which provides direct funding to countries. This mechanism gives the Convention greater capacity to support governments, provide technical advice, and develop effective national programs.
Dr. Fouad highlighted some of the main results of COP16, hosted by Saudi Arabia, including the launch of a $2 billion international drought fund, the start of private sector involvement in land restoration efforts, and the development of a global system to predict land degradation over the next two decades. She affirmed that 70 countries, including Egypt and many Arab countries, are now eligible for funding from the new drought fund, thanks to having clear national plans to address desertification risks.
She also discussed the political challenges linked to the Convention, noting that land cannot be separated from national security. Regional conflicts, particularly in the African Sahel region, accelerate land degradation and increase displacement. She revealed that efforts are underway to include desertification and drought in the international security agenda in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and Germany, with plans to present the issue at the Munich Security Conference.
Dr. Fouad mentioned that the Convention is currently working on re-engineering financing mechanisms to make investment in land an economically viable option rather than merely developmental funding. She pointed out the establishment of a new investment fund in Luxembourg with an initial funding of $5 million, targeting investments ranging between $500 million and $600 million. Additionally, a forum for the private sector will be launched in Davos to promote investment in agriculture, pastures, and environmental restoration.
She also touched upon the upcoming agenda for COP17 in Mongolia, which will prioritize pastureland and local community rights, especially for African and Arab countries that depend heavily on natural pastures. She highlighted the Peace for Nature initiative, supported by Korea, which aims to study the impact of conflicts on lands and their restoration in affected areas.
Dr. Fouad warned about the increasing risks of sand and dust storms in the Middle East and North Africa, stating that they could cost some countries up to 2% of their GDP annually. She called for regional collaborative projects to address this transboundary phenomenon.