(5th Meeting) 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification - UNCCD COP17

Good afternoon, everyone. Well, we are going to start, we are going to continue, hope you had a good lunch. I call to order the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification at its seventeenth session. With this, I want to pass the floor to the first speaker of this afternoon session and that is Azerbaijan in the list followed by Mauritania. Distinguished representative of Azerbaijan, you have the floor. Thank you. I apologize, Madam Deputy Minister, before passing the floor, I would like to warmly welcome all the participants to the continuation of the ministerial dialogue on innovative financial mechanisms for healthy land and drought resilience under agenda item six. We will now continue to hear the remaining speakers on the list. I would like to remind delegations that all speakers in the ministerial dialogues will have a maximum of three minutes to deliver their statements. This was announced at the time of inscription as well as on the website and the daily journal of the conference. Time limits will be strictly enforced by automatic microphone cut-off. A timer will be projected on the screen. To assist speakers to observe the time limit, their microphone will start blinking 30 seconds before the time limit elapses. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan. You have the floor, Madam Minister.

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, firstly on behalf of Republic of Azerbaijan, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the government and people of Mongolia for its warm hospitality in this beautiful city of Ulaanbaatar. I would like also to express our gratitude to UNCCD Secretariat for the excellent organization of this important event. Dear colleagues, 2030 agenda and the Rio conventions are closely interlinked. We need to align our action at national and international levels. It depends on critical factors like finance, technology transfer and multilateral cooperation based on equal opportunity for all, especially for developing countries. Dear colleagues, Under the leadership of the President of Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, we hosted COP29 of UNFCCC. New climate goals, as well as finalization of the rule governing of carbon markets, represented a pivotal moment for meaningful implementation and achieved linked targets. At the national level, Azerbaijan 2030 national priorities for socioeconomic development provides pathway to ensure the ecosystem restoration and strengthen the resilience across the country. Most of activities will be implemented by government investment. However, given the scale of financing required to achieve our objective, traditional funding models alone may not be sufficient. To complement public resources, mobilizing private capital and creating an enabling environment for climate investment will be also essential. Azerbaijan is building partnerships with businesses, development banks and international organizations to unlock green investment, promote low carbon innovation and empower SMEs. Colleagues, extreme weather events, floods and droughts cause major economic losses and damage soil and water quality. We should not only respond to disasters, but also invest in preparedness and adaptation. Investing, improving early warning system using nature based solution can help address also drought resilience. Azerbaijan is investing in modernization of its early warning system. The government is investment with successfully cooperative UNEP and GCF on this issue. Dear all, As 2030 is not far away, implementation is a real test and the success will depend on.

I thank the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay. You have the floor.

Chair, distinguished ministers, delegates. Uruguay believes that land preservation or conservation and the strengthening of drought resilience requires or hinges on moving from committing to sustained policies, long term policies as a prerequisite for innovative financing mechanisms. For many decades, we have had policies that protect water and soil. In 2008, the national policy for water in Uruguay, or since then, has been the strategic framework for integrated management of water resources. Since the '70s, we have had a normative framework and a stewardship system for soil conservation and erosion mitigation. However, we must take an additional step. We must recognize the value of services provided by the ecosystems themselves. This includes their contribution to water regulation, the protection of soils, and climate resilience. Further, we must explore international financing mechanisms that recognize the conservation efforts. We must generate incentives that allow for sustained policies We must thus avoid the cost falling exclusively on the shoulders of the producers and the national budgets. Investing in soil and water or land and water conservation is also to invest in territorial resiliency and productive systems and communities. Our experience shows that there are concrete opportunities to do these things. Uruguay has developed a sovereign bond indexed to climate change indicators. This links the financing conditions with bonds to the achievement of environmental objectives. We also have instruments to channel resources to the conservation of biodiversity and the adaptation to climate change, such as our climate and nature funds. economic and tax incentives to conserve native forests. We also have preferential credit lines for projects, investment projects that focus on sustainability from the private banking sector. These instruments show that environmental objectives can be directly incorporated into economic and financial decision making. It is clear that there is no single financial instrument. We must combine sustainable sovereign financing with public funds, tax incentives, private investment, mechanisms that recognize ecosystem services and international financing. Uruguay proposes then that we strengthen international cooperation to identify, develop and scale up innovative financial mechanisms that allow for the mobilization of resources to

-- the sound was cut off, notes the interpreter.

I thank the distinguished representative of Uruguay. Next in the list is Mauritania. So I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mauritania.

May peace be with you, Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Honorable members of this meeting, I have the honor of conveying to you the greetings and salutations of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. We thank the people and government of Mongolia for the hospitality and for the generosity. This is an arid and semi-- as a semi-arid and arid country, we face a great many challenges as a result of land degradation, drought. water scarcity as well as desertification. This affects food security. It affects our means of subsistence and development. This affects as well stability. We are continuing with our efforts to restore lands and fight against desertification for sustainable management of range lands and pastoralists. Financing is a key challenge. We invite the international community to strengthen financing and to facilitate access for developing countries to climate financing and environmental financing. We see it as absolutely necessary to adopt a comprehensive approach that is based on the link between land, water, energy and agriculture. This strengthens food security and improves resource management. It also allows for capacity building and resiliency for communities. Land restoration is not a simple environmental priority. It is an investment in food security, development, peace and stability. Our message is clear. There is no resiliency without land restoration. There's no land restoration on a wide scale without financing. We'd like to reaffirm our commitment to all of our partnerships in order to make sure that our commitments and pledges become concrete investments and those investments into concrete action for the people and generations to come. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.

You have the floor, sir.

Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegations, Costa Rica would like to express appreciation to the government of Mongolia for its warm welcome and for its magnificent organization in this COP17. Costa Rica appreciates this dialogue on innovative financing mechanisms. for our country. The health of the land is not merely a sectoral matter. Soil land supports water resources, the production of food, biodiversity and the adaptation to and resilience to climate change and the well-being of our rural communities. Costa Rica recognized the value of innovation for decades. We have used instruments such as the pay for services in environmental matters system. This recognizes economically the preservation of forests, biodiversity and water resources. This has allowed for us to have some 72% coverage of forests of our national territory. Currently, we are also introducing payment for environmental services for the coastal and marine sector in our society. This experience shows that incentives that are well designed with strong institutions, financing and monitoring can alter decisions that are being made on our territory. But it also shows something else. Financial innovation does not substitute public sector responsibility or international cooperation to restore land, to prevent degradation. To increase drought resiliency, we must combine national resources, multilateral funds, development bank support, and private capital. We must combine these with mechanisms that lower risk and that truly bring financing to our areas, to our territories. Costa Rica calls upon donor countries to ensure a robust capitalization that is predictable and timely. specifically from the multilateral environmental funds, especially the green fund for the global environment. The GEF continues to be the primary center for reaching our commitments under the Rio conventions that are concrete, scalable and measurable. We also require procedures that allow us to be more agile and allow us to create projects that include indicators and allow us to recognize climate vulnerabilities. Risk classification such as being a middle or high income country does not merely reflect the needs, the real needs for capital in countries that face extreme events. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam Representative of Costa Rica. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Philippines.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Philippines expresses its appreciation to the government and the people of Mongolia and to UNCCD for the warm welcome and for convening this important dialogue. Healthy and productive land is fundamental to food, water security, and agricultural productivity. As an archipelagic country exposed to climate extremes, we recognizes that land degradation have direct consequences for our farmers and vulnerable communities. Our experience reinforces the need to shift from reactive drought response towards proactive integrated and science-based resilience. Proactive response required sustained investments in sustainable land and water management. We recognize that land, water, and biodiversity are interconnected. Hence, investment in healthy land will generate multiple interconnected benefits. These benefits make land restoration and drought resilience not only as an ecological priority, but truly a sound investment in sustainable development. The Philippines therefore support financing mechanism on land restoration and other initiative that is inclusive and responsive to national circumstances. We believe that a transparent system is needed, not only to mobilize, but to properly account resources contribution from public, private, and multilateral institutions, and most importantly, the resource users themselves. For everyone to contribute, we need to collectively mobilize and properly account. We support the views expressed by previous delegation and other speakers that collective challenge is not only by mobilizing resources. We must ensure that mobilized resources are dedicated towards ground implementation. We stand ready to work with all parties and partners towards financing solutions that are practical, inclusive, nationally responsive, and capable of delivering lasting effects on the ground. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Philippines and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Czech Republic.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, let me begin by thanking Mongolia for hosting COP17 and for your warm hospitality. Land degradation and drought are no longer challenges faced only by traditional dry regions. Even nowadays, Europe has learned that healthy soils and water security cannot be taken for granted. In the Czech Republic, we have therefore moved from responding to individual drought episodes towards strengthening and long-term resilience of our soils, landscape and water systems. But our experience has taught us that funding alone does not automatically produce effective and sustainable projects. When available finance does not deliver sufficient results, the answer is not necessarily to add more money. We must also prepare to examine and reform the conditions under which it is delivered. This brings us to a central question. If healthy land is essential for food and water security, climate resilience, and economic stability, what is so difficult to turn available finance into effective and lasting restoration? The financing gap is not caused only by a shortage of capital. The costs are often borne by landowner, farmer, or municipality, while the benefits are shared across society and generations. Many benefits have no direct market price. and emerge gradually while the cost must be paid today. Projects are also frequently small and fragmented. The preparation requires coordination among landowners and public authorities, while transaction and monitoring costs can be disproportionately high. Public finance will remain indispensable where restoration generates genuine public goods. But innovative finance is not simply about adding more money. or creating complex financial products. It means using available resources more effectively, improving project preparation, coordinating smaller intervention, and aligning public support, regulation, and private incentives. Support must deliver genuine additional value and avoid windfall gains and speculative behavior. I will therefore suggest three questions. First, how can we create effective incentives while ensuring genuine additional results? Second, how can we turn small, local, tailor project into investable programs? And third, how can we measure not only finance mobilized, but the lasting resilience it creates? Our task is not merely to mobilize more money, it is to use available resources better, remove obstacles, and ensure measurable and lasting public value. Only then can land restoration become a normal investment in our shared security and prosperity. Thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Czech Republic for his statement. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia. You have the floor.

Excellencies and distinguished delegates, it is a great honor for Indonesia to join discussion on innovative financing mechanism. I extend our sincere appreciation to UNCCD Secretariat and the government of Mongolia for inviting us. Based on Indonesia's experiences, we are in the view that land restoration is not a cost. It is an investment for water security, food security, livelihoods, climate resilience, and communities. In a decade, from 2015 until 2025, Indonesia has reduced forest and land fires by 86%. Indonesia has rehabilitated 2.3 million hectares until 2025. We also commit in restoring in total around 12.3 million hectares through inclusive partnership, which requires massive resources, estimates $42 billion, for reaching our restoration targets. We realize that we need innovative financing mechanism involving public budgets, international financing, result-based payments, private contribution, and philanthropy to support government budget. Therefore, under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia has taken concrete action to advance carbon economic value framework. Presidential Regulation number 110 of 2025 on carbon economic value and ministerial regulation number six of 2026 on forest carbon trade provide inclusive participation, including local communities and private sector. Indonesia also established the Environmental Fund Agency to pull domestic and international resources for national environmental priorities. As home to approximately 23% of the world's mangrove ecosystems, at this respectfully meeting, Indonesia invites all of you to join the World Mangrove Center, a collaborative global platform that connects governments, scientists, local communities, international organizations, civil society, and private sector. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, building on this innovative financing experience, Indonesia believes that similar approaches and strong governance can support UNCCD member countries' agenda. Indonesia remains committed to working together in concrete action to deliver tangible and lasting benefits for land degradation neutrality. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Republic of Indonesia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland.

Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to be here at the high level ministerial dialogue on innovative financial mechanisms for healthy land and drought resilience. The last few years have shown particularly the intense heat waves we are experiencing across Europe this summer. Drought and land degradation are having a serious impact on our economies. In the EU alone, as a result of the recent extreme weather, we could see approximately 180 billion wiped off the EU GDP. In relative terms, the impact will be even harsher for developing countries. There is an urgent need to be better prepared for the extreme weather and rising temperatures happening right now and in the immediate future. In short, we need to adapt and we need to build resilience. Finance is an essential enabler for developing countries to build resilience and enhance capacity to adapt to climate impacts. Least developed countries, small island developing states and countries affected by conflict are particularly in need of adaptation finance. Despite this, it is estimated that only 25% of global climate finance currently funds adaptation, and of this, 25%, only a very small portion goes towards least developed countries and small island developing states. This needs to change delegates. Over the past decade, Ireland has steadily increased its annual contribution to international climate finance. And approximately 80% of this is spent on adaption related activities. Ireland's bilateral climate finance is 100% grant based. and explicitly targets the needs of those least responsible for causing climate change and yet most vulnerable to its impacts. Ireland's international climate finance roadmap maintains a focus on climate adaption and resilience in some of the most climate vulnerable countries around the world, in particular in least developed countries and small island developing states. Ireland's contribution to international climate finance grew steadily from '21 to '23, reaching 159 million, According to estimates not yet officially released, Ireland will meet its target of 225 million, which was set in 2025, which is a doubling of our contribution since 2020. Ireland is a founding member of the Champions Group of Adaptation Finance, which advocates for increasing and improving the scale and quality and accessibility of adaptation finance, which is important for preparing for and responding to rapid onset of natural disasters. and slow onset climate impacts. Innovative finance is vital to close the annual 355 billion gap needed between 25 and 30 to meet global land restoration, desertification and drought targets. Traditional public funds are not enough, so new funding models must unlock private and blended capital. Innovative finance is key to achieving our land restoration targets, and I look forward to further discussions at these events during the course of Finance Day. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ireland and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lao People's Democratic Republic. You have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Lao People's Democratic Republic align itself with the core vision of the 17 Conference of the Parties, restoring land, restoring hope. We extend our profound appreciation to the Secretariat of UNCCD and the Government of Mongolia for placing finance at the heart of our collective agenda to restore land and the promise of our collective endeavor. We recognize the scales of the challenge before us to restoring degraded land at the scale the world needs will require close to one billion US dollar every day. Yet current financing falls far short of this target. While Lao PDR is not an arid country, our mountainous forest dependent landscapes face severe threats. Our fragile upland ecosystems and weathered soils are on the front lines of degradation. Our commitments to land restoration and resilience are ambitious, and our physical space and access to long-term finance remain limited. With the support of our development partners, we are translating international support into action. We are strengthening natural resources management, protecting biodiversity, and building resilience in our agroecology systems. These efforts show what well-targeted finance can achieve. However, to reach our land degradation neutrality targets, Lao PDR requires financing that is more accessible and better suited to the realities. In this regard, we wish to put forward the following considerations. First, we urge simplify and more predictable access to financing instruments, particularly for developing country, landlocked countries like us with limited institutional capacity. Second, we call for scale up investment in blended finance to direct private sector engagement. Third, we encourage greater support for South-South and regional cooperation to share technical expertise with neighboring partners. Fourth, we ask for development partners and global mechanism to continue strengthening capacity building. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Lao PDR remains firmly committed to Ulaanbaatar Action Agenda and to doing our part to close the finance gap.

Distinguished representative of Lao People's Democratic Republic, thank you for your statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Timor-Leste. You have the floor.

Mr. President, excellency all the delegation the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste express our dependent gratitude to the government and the people of Mongolia for the war hospitality and the extensional in hosting this critical Summit we ask the debr on the resource mobilization and their committee of the to We must confront the reality, land restoration cannot serve other fragment, Southern project grant. For small and land development state, traditional financing from the allocation capital city basic on the geographical land, the proportional ecosystem vulnerability. amongst in the young land apply aridity in several top soil erosion that collaboration in the downstream food system and the coastal watershed feeding house. Excellencies, to the risk environmental investment are there the CR EC 24 framework. of Timor-Leste has invaded land degradation, LDC target, the reality in our annual general state. This domestic has security that then allow them critical international funding for his, we express our sincere appreciation. Which allow the gap from funding through UNEP, this allocation and directly enable Timor-Leste to establish national monitoring system with technical capacity and fulfill our comprehensive LDC implementation supporting. Second, we, FO and the UNCCD supporting for the Peace Forest Initiative, strongly say FP allocation funding Timor-Leste and Indonesia to reflect in the combination critical watershed, one transfer watershed to ensure landscape description in the platform for cross-border ecological wealth building. The power construction crossed with by the institutional capacity with the trade Transitional customer, lay, Tara Bandu, we have in the area is three printing, so I've read in the from the other 45% to the other 84% protecting international capital from the operational funding. Timor-Leste has built the.

I thank the distinguished representative of Timor-Leste. and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey. You have the floor, madam.

Mr. Moderator, distinguished colleagues, esteemed representatives of countries, I extend my warmest greetings to you on behalf of my country and the COP31 presidency. I would like to begin my remarks by expressing my gratitude to the people and government of Mongolia for.

Hosting this important conference of the parties.

As we emphasized in Riyadh two years ago.

Land degradation and drought cause billions of dollars in losses to the global economy every year.

The decline in agricultural productivity and the weakening of ecosystem services demonstrate a clear reality. Investing in land means investing in the future.

Every resource allocated to land restoration represents a multidimensional gain that strengthens economic resilience and the well-being of communities.

We believe that strengthening land restoration and drought resilience, it.

Requires multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, and private sector investments.

Not only public resources.

In this regard, we must make existing financing mechanisms more accessible, more effective, and more results-oriented.

As Turkey, through our climate law, which has entered into force, we are strengthening the management of carbon sinks through our certification efforts for the voluntary carbon market and our green licensing system. We are ensuring that these areas are monitored in accordance with international standards. These national steps also contribute to achieving the common objectives of the Rio Conventions. As the presidency of UNFCCC COP31, Turkey will continue to make the nexus between land, climate and development policies more visible.

And COP17 will make an important contribution to COP31, which will take place in Antalya from 9 to 20 November.

And we will continue our contributions in this regard.

Thank you very much.

The distinguished representative of Turkey for this statement. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burundi.

Thank you.

On behalf of the government and people of Burundi, I wish to express thanks to Mongolia and to the Secretariat of the Convention for the organization of this session here in Ulaanbaatar. Burundi participates in this COP and on this finance day on mobilizing finance for land restoration. We confirm our commitment to combating desertification, to stopping land degradation and to addressing climate issues. We seek to restore degraded lands and to address environmental issues, to combat soil erosion, promote sustainable agriculture, develop agroforestry and protect water resources, strengthen the resilience of rural communities to droughts and other climate risks, promote the sustainable management of land and natural resources, improve national land degradation and LDN monitoring systems. We recognize that some $355 billion per year will be needed between 2025 and 2030 to meet global land restoration targets and address the challenges of land degradation, desertification and drought, while current investment is woefully insufficient. For a country like Burundi, It is essential to call on the international community to strengthen financial support around five priorities. First, increase concessional financing and grants to vulnerable countries to enable the implementation of large scale national land restoration programs. Second, strengthen direct access to international financial mechanisms, including the chair of the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund and other relevant mechanisms. for financing sustainable development. Third, further engage the private sector. Burundi wants to develop mechanisms to transform investment in land restoration. We call on international financial institutions, multilateral development banks, climate and environmental funds, institutional investors and the private sector.

Thank you, Burundi, for the statement. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cambodia.

Your Excellency, co-presidents, distinguished delegates, on behalf of Cambodia delegation, we would like to extend our profound gratitude to the government and the people of Mongolia for their outstanding organizations of the COVID-19 and also warm gracious hospitality. Cambodia is increasingly vulnerable to the severe impact of drought, flooding and land degradation. And these climate shocks directly threaten our smallholder farmers and most vulnerable communities. Consequently, addressing this crisis is a top national priority. Cambodia reaffirmed its absolute commitment to achieve voluntary land degradation neutrality as the cornerstone of sustainable development goal. We also commit to climate mitigation and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To turn this commitment into action, Cambodia has adopted the National Action Program to combat land degradation 2018-2027. Focus on increasing forest cover, improving agricultural conservation and sustainable agriculture and water set management. Also the national action plan on draft management and adaptation has been adopted. This plan outline an early warning system as well as drought adaptation and respond action. designing to enhance national draft resilient. Furthermore, Cambodia have expand it but the area to cover approximately 40% of our national territory. Safeguarding critical watershed. We are actively scaling up community based forestry and community fishery which grant local community the right to assess land and resources. In addition, The Royal Government of Cambodia has launched a major initiative to deploy dedicated commune agricultural officials nationwide, delivering direct on-the-ground technical support to our farmers. However, to fully implement this policy, strategy, and plan, we must overcome significant capacity and resource constraints. Cambodia calls for enhanced capacity building, accelerating technology transfer, and robust bilateral and multilateral cooperation among all parties and the convention in order to addressing land degradation and drought. Finally, we require adequate, predictable and sustainable financing to support the implementation of land restoration and drought resilience for the benefit of smallholder farmers and local communities. Thank you.

Thank you Cambodia for the statement. Distinguished representative of Kazakhstan, you have the floor.

Thank you, distinguished delegates. On behalf of Kazakhstan, we wish to express thanks to the government of Mongolia and the secretariat of the convention against desertification for organizing this 17th COP. For Kazakhstan, this topic is of particular importance. We have 219 million hectares of agricultural land. We are consistently implementing national policy. This year we have adopted the first law on soil protection since independence. This seeks to restore damaged soils and implement scientific approaches to sustainable use. We have systematic work underway to restore land. In the past year, some 50 million hectares have returned to state ownership and turned over to land users. There is regional cooperation with a stage of the international expedition on the Great Silk Road expedition to Ulaanbaatar throughout the south of our country, which allowed us to show our approach to sustainable pastureland use and development of rural lands. In April this year, we held a regional environmental summit bringing together state, international, academic and other delegates working together on protecting lands, adapting to climate change and sustainable development of agriculture, creating international organization initiated by our president. As a result, we adopted the resolution on green protection of Central Asia to join forces in the region to restore damaged land and create a system of green barriers. call on neighboring countries, financial institutions and international organizations to join forces to implement projects under the Green Protection of Central Asia project as one of the regional measures to implement our convention. We are working on studies, bringing together data using current technologies and call for forces to be joined. Thank you.

I thank Kazakhstan for the statement. I now pass the floor to the distinguished representative of Dominican Republic, to be followed by Belarus.

Distinguished Executive Secretary, State Representatives, ladies and gentlemen, my country warmly thanks the Government of Mongolia for its hospitality. This dialogue allows us to address one of the main challenges to advance in resilience for our lands, how to close the investment gap that limits our ability to strengthen resilience to drought and promote healthy lands. The figures allow us to measure the challenge. It is estimated that approximately 355 billion US dollars will be needed until 2030 annually. Current investments stand at around 77 billion. This is a gap of approximately 278 billion a year. Such a deficit can hardly be closed by resorting only to traditional sources. We must mobilize resources from various sources and at the same time find mechanisms seeking not only direct resources but as instruments to reduce risks and mobilize additional capital. Guarantees, insurance and blended finance can help us to multiply the impact of available resources and expand the scale of investments. However, for capital to go where it's most needed, we must also strengthen the conditions that allow national priorities to become investment opportunities, technical assistance, capacity building, information and the development of investment ready projects are all elements that can make a significant difference. For the Dominican Republic, as a small island developing state, it is crucial that innovative financial mechanisms take into account the circumstances and capacities of developing countries and facilitate adequate access to resources. At the same time, there is an economic opportunity that deserves greater recognition. Estimates indicate that each dollar invested in land restoration can generate up to $8 in return. This reminds us that we're talking about much more than environmental need. We're talking about protecting productivity, food security, water resources, livelihoods and environmental stability. The magnitude of the gap forces us to be ambitious, but it also requires us to be strategic. We believe that the way forward is to make each public resource mobilize more investments so that each investment generates greater resilience and this resilience is recognized as an integral part of economic development. This dialogue is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships between governments, financial institutions, the private sector and international cooperation and move forward towards solutions that could be replicable, scalable, accessible to the countries that need them most. Thank you.

Thank you, Dominican Republic, for the statement. I now pass the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus to be followed by Ecuador. Belarus, you have the floor.

Distinguished Presidency, distinguished participants, I wish on behalf of Belarus to thank the leadership of Mongolia and the Secretariat for this excellent organization and for the warm hospitality. Global environmental issues such as the loss of biodiversity, climate change, land degradation are some of the most pressing issues and require rapid solutions. Belarus has been consistently implementing its international obligations under the desertification convention. November 2025, we adopted the national plan of action to prevent land degradation developed to implement the convention. There have been practical measures to prevent degradation and restore degraded lands, which should make it possible to ensure national land security. To improve the effectiveness of the use of water resources for environmental growth, our government has adopted a national strategy for water resource management in the context of climate change to 2030. Our strategy will strengthen Belarus' resilience to drought and land degradation using tested methods and practices for joint use by other countries, which will help to further the goals of the Convention. Belarus plans to join forces with other countries to ensure global progress on protecting the environment. We are open to mutually respectful and beneficial cooperation. In recent years, there have been trends to politicization by certain countries of the environmental agenda. An example is within this conference, the determination of the presidency of the Annex V representative. Belarus's candidacy was blocked for political reasons, which is a clear demonstration of the use of the environmental agenda for pressure. The same is true in other key environmental initiatives within Europe. However, within our country, we have unique natural resources which must be protected, marshlands, We must rehabilitate our lands and we are committed to liquidating the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. This requires support from the international financial institutions. It would be positive not only for Belarus but also for neighboring countries. We hope for further impartial, constructive interaction within the context of this convention. Thank you.

I thank Belarus for the statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador to be followed by Burkina Faso. Ecuador, you have the floor.

Your Excellency, Chair, Ministers, Authorities and Delegates, Ecuador is located in the middle of the world. We have Andean systems and Amazonian systems and also the Galapagos Islands. We wish to express our deep gratitude to the government and to the people of Mongolia for the generous hospitality under its eternal blue skies. Today we are met here in UBE facing a challenge that goes beyond any border. The health of our lands, land degradation and drought don't recognize geographical borders or ideologies. These are systemic threats that imperil food security, peace and sustainability of life on our planet. Land is not restored with declarations of good intentions. We need political will, multilateral solidarity and truly effective resources on the ground. For Ecuador, tackling desertification, land degradation and drought requires a quantum step forward. We must move from commitments on paper to concrete results on the ground. However, this transformation will not be viable without implementation means backed by sufficient financial resources that are also timely, predictable and true and and increasing. We recognize the importance of exploring innovative financial financing mechanisms and mobilization of capital in the private sector to close the gaps on financing. We are. We are categorical innovation must add and multiply resources, not replace them. Mixed financing must be complementary. It should never become a prior requirement, a precondition or barrier to international funds. We recognize that non-reimbursable and concessional financing should continue to be the central pillar of the convention. Donations are irreplaceable in strengthening local capacity, restoring degraded land and responding to droughts without increasing the debt of our countries. This position is fully in step with Article 20.2a of the Convention. It enshrines the commitment of developing developed countries to mobilize substantial resources to back our efforts. Also, we must recognize that there are different capacities when it comes to complex instruments. We call for flexible criteria that are equitable and simplified in their access. Echo to our calls for an international financing architecture that is more ambitious, balanced, and pragmatic. This architecture should preserve the non-reimbursable financing as a crucial tool, must promote innovation without eluding historic commitments. It must transform neutrality goals into well-being for our communities and ecosystems. No country can save the planet on its own. Resilience,

this interpreter would note that the sound was cut.

Thank you, Ecuador, for the statement. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso, to be followed by Iraq. Burkina Faso, you have the floor.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Burkina Faso should like to thank the Republic of Mongolia and the Secretariat of the Convention for hosting this COP17, and we fully associate ourselves with the call for an increased commitment of the international community to financing the restoration of land and drought resilience. for Burkina Faso, land restoration is restoring economies, protecting substance and strengthening the resilience of people. We must today change our paradigm. We must go from ad hoc financing to transformational financing that has a strong impact, the mobilization of resources and investments. And the written and addressing risk with the private financing as well. There's so much address that Burkina Faso has put into place the fund for action in the environment with a special window for land restoration. Also given need to promote finance financing, local financing. We call upon the international community to address four major commitments. First, increase concessional financing, donations, and predictability for the most vulnerable countries. Two, to strengthen mixed financing and guarantees and risk mechanisms in order to better mobilize the private sector. And third, land restoration and making this full of a true step forward, strengthening our territorial work with concrete action. Madam Chair, Africa is not asking for merely more financing. We are calling for a financial architecture that is integrating, accessible, predictable, and adaptable and adapted to the reality. Burkina fully supports the African groups efforts to gain access to financing and to increase the participation of international African institutions here in UB we should focus on five keys mobilization addressing risk investing transforming and measuring our message is simple rest land restoration investing in it invest in the economies and jobs and resilience that this restoration will allow us to build I thank you kindly.

I thank Burkina Faso for the statement I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq to be followed by Thailand Iraq you have the floor.

Mr. President, Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we extend our thanks to Mongolia's government and people for the warm hospitality and for hosting and organizing the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. We also thank the UNCCD Secretariat for its efforts in making this conference successful.

It is my pleasure.

To participate today representing the Republic of Iraq, the land of Mesopotamia and the cradle of civilization, where some of the oldest civilizations arose on the banks of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, investment in land restoration represent an investment in the future of people, given its fundamental role.

In strengthening food security, water security, and sustainable development.

This is of particular importance to Iraq in light of the environment and the climate challenges it faces. Iraq views financing for land restoration as a particular tool to strengthen resilience to drought, reduce.

Land degradation, and improve the management of natural resources with positive impact on the environment and local communities.

Iraq emphasized that the successful implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification require the provision.

Of safe sustainable financing alongside technology transfer, capacity building.

And the exchange of expertise, enabling countries to implement their national programs in accordance with priorities and needs.

Iraq also continues to implement its national commitment by strengthening sustainable and land management, preparing national reports, and developing monitoring system and database based on this conviction that effective decisions are grounded in knowledge and scientific data.

Iraq believes that strengthening partnership among governments, international organization, financial institution, and the private sector represents an essential step toward accelerating the implementation of land restoration projects and achieving sustainable results that benefit both people and the environment.

Thank you.

I thank Iraq for the statement now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to be followed by Zambia Thailand you have the floor.

Mr. President excellency distinguished delegates on behalf of the Kingdom of Thailand I wish to congratulate Mongolia on assuming the crop 17 presidency and thank the host for the warm hospitality in Ulaanbaatar. Thailand reaffirms its strong commitment to advancing land degradation neutrality through the Avoid Reduce Reuse framework. Thailand is committed in developing standardized database to support effective decision making while promoting inclusive participation of all stakeholders, particularly civil society, youth, women, and vulnerable groups. Thailand also promotes stronger land management standards, equitable access to finance, and restoration of degraded land and rainforest land while addressing drought risk to partnership and ESG-aligned value chain, For tangible and sustainable outcome, leaving no one behind, Thailand stand ready to support the development of conventions for 2030 strategic framework, proactive doubt management, and strong synergy among the three Rio Convention. We emphasize common but differentiate responsibilities and respect capabilities. adequate financial technology transfer and capacity building tailored to developing country needs. As essential means to translate commitment into concrete and sustainable action, Thailand is deeply honored to have initiated the United Nations Decade on Soil Health, 2031 to 2040, in close cooperation with the Global Soil Partnership Building on the success of World Soil Day, we would like to invite all parties to support this global agenda, elevate soil health as a key priority for sustainable development, fostering a more secure and resilient future. Thailand stands ready to partner globally in passing on fertile, resilient, sustainable land to future generations. Thank you.

I thank you Thailand for the statement now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zambia to be followed by Australia Zambia you have the floor.

Mr. moderator distinguished excellencies ladies and gentlemen on behalf of the government of Zambia I'm honored to render our appreciation to the government of Mongolia for the warm hospitality they have shown to our delegation since we arrived here. Zambia is progressively repositioning land, nature and climate at the center of economic and financial decision making and policy reforms. Working with financial sector regulators, the private sector and development partners, we are building a sustainable financial architecture capable of mobilizing public and private capital for land restoration, drought resilience and nature positive development. We are increasingly recognizing that nature loss, land degradation, and climate change are not only environmental concerns, they are economic and financial risks. In 2024, we completed our first nature-related financial risks study covering banking, insurance, pensions, and capital markets sectors. We have further gone ahead to strengthen transparency and accountability. In this regard, Zambia has adopted international sustainability reporting standards for public accountable entities, helping to build the capacity of businesses and financial institutions to better understand and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature. We are creating a clear framework for sustainable investment. In December 2025, we launched the first green finance taxonomy, providing a nationally agreed upon framework for identifying environmental sustainable economic sectors across key sectors, including agriculture, forestry, mining, tourism, and water. Back in 2024, we issued our first green bond worth $150 million targeting renewable energy, particularly the solar energy sector. We are here to ask for more financing. Yes, we have achieved something, but we cannot do it alone. Our ask at this session is for predictable, sustainable financing so that we can be able to do these activities at scale. I submit.

I thank Zambia for the statement. Now I pass the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia to be followed by the Republic of Korea. Australia, you have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I welcome this opportunity to provide this statement on behalf of Australia. And let me reiterate our thanks to the government of Mongolia for its tireless efforts to host a successful COP. Developing both a sustainable agriculture sector and resilience to drought have long been key priorities for Australia. A climate smart and sustainable agriculture sector can improve productivity and profitability, protect our environment, strengthen rural communities and contribute to global food security. A key part of this effort for us is the Natural Heritage Trust, an Australian government platform that for over 30 years has delivered on the ground actions that promote natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, and environmental protection. This trust supports farmers and communities to innovate, build knowledge, and adopt practices that protect natural capital, conserve biodiversity, and improve long-term sustainability. Australia's drought policy focuses on preparedness, risk management and financial self-reliance, while ensuring an appropriate safety net is in place for those who are experiencing hardship. Providing certainty for farmers and regional communities to actively build resilience is essential to achieving these objectives. To support this, Australia invests before drought actually occurs. In 2019, the Australian Government established the Future Drought Fund with an initial investment of $3.9 billion. And through the reinvestment of earnings, the fund has now reached $5 billion. Each year, the fund supports grants and programs that strengthen drought and climate resilience. These initiatives help farmers improve their business planning, support communities to build lasting social connections that strengthen cohesion during difficult times, and invest in projects that address complex and long-term challenges. But programs under the Future Drought Fund often have co-investment requirements. This maximises the impact of government funds and ensures delivery partners are committed and see strong potential in the project. In responding to drought, Australia maintains a strong focus on investments that support future productivity. We do not provide payments to farmers to maintain production, such as subsidies for fodder or water, nor do we compensate farmers for production losses. Reviews of Australia's drought program have consistently shown us that such measures can disincentivise farm businesses to adapt to prolonged dry conditions and changing circumstances. Public finance alone cannot meet the scale of investment needed to protect and restore nature. So we support mobilising finance from all sources, including public, private, bilateral, multilateral and blended finance. We also recognise the important role of businesses and financial institutions. Our approach to drought and sustainable land management reflect our experience and context, and at this COP we welcome the opportunity to learn from others, share our experiences and contribute to global action. Thank you.

I thank Australia for the statement. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. It's a great pleasure to meet you here in Ulaanbaatar. First of all, I would like to extend our warmest thanks to the government for hosting this COP and to the people of Mongolia for their generous hospitality. It's such an honor for me to have the opportunity to speak to you today about innovative financial mechanism for health, land, and drought resilience. Today, the entire world faces severe threats to our survival due to climate change, desertification, and intensifying drought. Land degradation is no longer merely an environmental issue. It is a complex, multidimensional crisis that leads directly to food insecurity, water scarcity, and the impoverishment of local communities. Just half a century ago, the Republic of Korea faced a landscape completely devastated by war. However, through the unity of our government and entire people, we succeeded in restoring our forests in a short period. This profound experience and commitment our nation have naturally extended to the international community. At the 10th conference of the parties to the UNCC hosted by the Republic of Korea in 2011, our nation launched the Changwon Initiative, which has served as a set past driving force over the past 15 years in setting and practically implementing land degradation neutrality targets globally. In particular, the Greening Dryland Partnership Project initiated under the Changwon Initiative has successfully supported land and forest restoration, improved local livelihoods, and strengthened capacity across 19 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Small Island Developing States. Furthermore, in close cooperation with the UNCCD and UNDP, we have expanded the scale and reach of our initiative by establishing a partnership between the Green Drought Land Partnership and the Global Environment Facility's Small Grant Program. Financial investment in land restoration and drought resilience is not a mere expenditure. whether it is the most definitive investment that grows ecological and economic value. Looking ahead, the Korea Forest Service will further advance the Changwon Initiative to strengthen its role as a catalytic financier paving the way for private capital and global investments. Distinguished colleagues, there can be no sustainable future without healthy land. Thank you.

I thank the Republic of Korea for the statement. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nepal to be followed by Sudan. Nepal, you have the floor.

Okay. Respected Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, On behalf of government and people of Nepal, I sincerely thank the government and people of Mongolia for hosting COP17 and for their warm hospitality. We also appreciate the UNCCD Secretariat for its continued leadership in addressing land degradation, desertification, drought and sustainable land management. Respected Chair, Nepal remains firmly committed to achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030. Our UNCCD national action program provides an important foundation for addressing land degradation, while LDN priorities are increasingly integrated into national development planning. Our three tiers of government, federal, provincial, and local, are working together to advance land conservation, restoration, and sustainable development. Nepal national initiative is being implemented to restore vulnerable landscapes of Shivalik region and similar other areas. Nepal believes in the strength of communities and follows participatory restoration practices. This has been demonstrated through forest cover and land restoration through community forest approaches. These approaches have generated important gains in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and livelihood improvement of the people. In spite of these achievements of Nepal's Achievements Nepal fragile and steep mountain landscapes are facing climate change induced non-traditional drivers of land degradation. These are changing rainfall patterns, flash flood, soil erosion, landslide and drought, forest fire and these are rapidly undermining our restoration gains. Management of these non-traditional drivers and cap land degradation is beyond technical and financial capacity of our people and available financial resources of the government. Land degradation in Himalayan and mountain region that affects ecosystem biodiversity and livelihood services is so critical and impact will be huge and wide spread. In this ground, we need deeper and wider partnership, technical collaboration and innovative financing mechanism and involvement of private sector. The services of Himalayas and mountains not only limited to us. In this regard, we need simplified access to finance, stop land degradation and fight against non-traditional drivers and subsequent land degradation together. Distinguished delegates, we need stronger evidences, appropriate and affordable technologies and partnership connecting governments, communities, indigenous people, youth, women, scientists, development partners and private sector most importantly finance and technology must reach the ground where communities are restoring landscapes and sustaining livelihoods. I thank you.

Thank you Nepal for the statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan to be followed by Algeria. Sudan you have the floor.

Mr. President, Ladies and gentlemen, peace be upon you. At the outset, on behalf of the government of the Republic of Sudan, to express my thanks and gratitude to the government and the people of Mongolia for their hospitality and warm welcome and for the excellent organization of this important conference Oulanbaatar is hosting of this conference retreats Mongolia's commitment to supporting global environmental issues and its work with international community to address the challenges of drought and desertification. We appreciate the secretariat of the convention and all the organizers for their efforts to ensure the success of this conference. This conference comes at a critical juncture for Sudan. where the challenges of land degradation, desertification, climate change intersect with displacement and loss of livelihoods. President, desertification and droughts are not something on the periphery in my country, but rather they are pillars for social peace. We have a large area that is prone to drought that produces more than 90% of crops. And two-thirds of the area of our country in the north suffer from degradation. And drought, recurrent drought has turned land as a landscape for competitiveness and disputes. And this has affected food security as well as water security, animal agriculture production. Mr. President, Sudan reiterates its full commitment to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, implementing its goals and principles, and also achieving sustainable management of land, addressing land degradation, droughts and desertification. We reiterate that combating desertification and land degradation is not an option, but rather a national priority and a necessity for achieving food and water security, promoting livelihoods, and promoting the capacity of local communities communities to be resilient to droughts. We reiterate that our commitment, fulfillment of our commitment requires the provision of the means of implementation, including capacity building and financial support. Therefore, we appeal to financial mechanisms and partners to promote support to countries affected by desertification and droughts, in particular African countries that are prone to these phenomena. There is a need also to access predictable financing and that this financing should be simplified especially for countries that are affected by conflicts.

Thank you Sudan for the statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria to be followed by Togo. Algeria you have the floor.

In the name of God, the Merciful, we wish to express thanks to the government and people of Mongolia for their warm welcome and generous hospitality. Algeria attaches particular importance to land restoration and to drought resilience, the cornerstone of an effective response to the interrelated challenges of desertification, land degradation, water scarcity. Financing to combat desertification should not be treated as a marginal issue, but rather as a priority in light of the global financing gap estimated at $278 billion annually. We reiterate the need for wealthy countries to meet their commitments by providing subsidies and concessional loans to the most vulnerable developing countries, particularly in Africa, to help them reclaim their lands and strengthen their drought resilience. There is also a need to streamline access mechanisms to the various sources of finance available. In the same vein, we are fully aware that bridging the existing financing gap cannot be achieved by traditional means alone. It requires a rethinking. It requires new and innovative financing instruments. Algeria calls for the promotion of the integration of land and drought resilience issues into the portfolios of multilateral development banks, the promotion of public private partnerships, the activation of carbon compensation mechanisms through afforestation without prejudice to Article 6 of the Convention. Ladies and gentlemen, Convinced that proactive financing is far more cost effective than inaction, Algeria has invested in land and water resources and made this a firm national priority. The Green Dam project, which was re-established by the President of the Republic on an area of over 4.7 million hectares, embodies a model for mobilizing financial resources in favor of land reclamation and combating desertification. This project has environmental, economic and social dimensions. Thank you.

Thank you, Algeria, for the statement. I now pass the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey. Togo to be followed by Israel. Togo, you have the floor.

Distinguished ministers, participants, on behalf of the environment minister of Togo, I would like to express gratitude to Mongolia for its hospitality and welcome the initiative of this ministerial dialogue on innovative financial mechanisms for healthy land and increased drought resilience. Land degradation, desertification, drought are no longer merely environmental issues. They directly threaten our food security, water resources, and societal stability. For Togo, land is not a cost to be financed, but a natural capital to be preserved and valued. The question is no longer how much the restoration costs will be, but how much will our inaction cost? Since 2021, Togo, under the impetus of His Excellency Mr. Ehemassingbe, President of the Council, has chosen to take action, namely planting a billion trees and achieving 26% forest cover by 2030, restoring 1.4 million hectares of degraded landscapes and achieving land degradation neutrality targets. As a result, from 2021 to 2025, our national campaign has restored over a million hectares of degraded ecosystems through reforestation. However, the global financial challenge is immense. To achieve our objectives, $355 billion per year are needed, and only $77 billion are invested. This deficit of $278 billion should be a cause for concern. especially since every dollar invested can yield eight. To bridge this gap, we need to change the paradigm. Land restoration is a productive economic investment. Togo proposes to mobilize four levers. First, optimize public finance to attract private capital through blended financing guarantees. Two, engage the private sector by developing profitable green value chains. Three, deploy innovative instruments such as green bonds and payment for ecosystem services. Four, facilitate access to climate funds while simplifying their procedures. Moreover, what cannot be measured cannot be financed. We need to invest in digital technologies, remote sensing and satellite data to secure performance-based financing. On behalf of the Ministry of Environment of Togo, I make this appeal. Let us invest in the earth before its degradation becomes unbearable. Let us make land resilience an engine of growth and stability for our planet. I thank you.

Thank you, Togo, for the statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel, to be followed by Guatemala. Israel, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair, distinguished delegates. I would like to express our profound gratitude to the government of Mongolia and the UNCCD Secretariat for the exceptional hospitality and leadership in hosting this critical forum. For a long time, we've treated desertification only as an environment issue. But more we look at it, it's clear it becomes in many ways a financing issue. The technology largely exists, precision irrigation, biological soil solutions, water reuse, drought resilient seeds. What is missing is the capital willing to take the first risk. That is where Israel has built a distinctive model focused on public risk management. Excuse me. The Israeli Innovation Authority Startup Fund is a non-dilutive grant mechanism that walks alongside a company from its earliest idea through pre-seed, seed, and into the first investment level. It is in the earliest stages, public funding covers up to 80% of the project budget. As the technology matures and investors gain confidence, goes up roughly to 30%. By then, the private market has enough evidence to take over. Alongside that capital, we have physical testing ground, the Negev Desert. Israel innovation hubs incubate early stage tech startups working on water, agriculture, and climate resilience under real conditions before anyone asks to invest serious money. The next layer is blended finance. Combining public funds, aid and private investments to carry technologies through the stretch that pure private capital finds it too risky to invest. And public capital cannot fund forever. By the time a solution is ready for full deployment, conventional capital can take it to the rest of the way. This model travels Through Israel Desert Tech Hub and direct partnership with the UNCC global mechanism, this model has been applied in Africa, Great Green Wall, innovation leaders identify the most burning challenges, test solutions and walk away with concrete fundamental. pilot proposal. We are seeking to export this model to new partners, including South America, where we work with innovation leaders in the desert of Atacama. Israel stands ready and eager to collaborate with international partners around the world to adapt and to implement this unique financing model, turning shared environmental challenges into scalable global solutions. Thank you.

I thank Israel for the statement. And now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guatemala to be followed by Mexico. Guatemala, you have the floor.

President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Guatemala wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the government and people of Mongolia for their warm hospitality and for hosting us. Investing in sustainable land management and drought resilience is an investment in climate adaptation, economic resilience, and sustainable development. For highly vulnerable countries like Guatemala, drought, land degradation, and climate change are not separate challenges. They converge in the same territories and affect the same people. Through water insecurity, declining agricultural productivity, food insecurity, and increasing pressures on livelihoods. Therefore, investing in land means investing in concrete solutions, restoring degraded soils and ecosystems. improving sustainable land and water management, strengthening drought preparedness and protecting the livelihoods that depend on these natural resources. Our financial architecture must therefore make a fundamental shift from paying for the consequences of crisis to investing in resilience before those crises occur. This requires predictable and readable accessible resources for sustainable land management, soil restoration, water security, drought preparedness, and ecosystem-based adaptation and climate resilient livelihoods. Innovative mechanisms included blended finance guarantees, risk sharing instruments and insurance can help mobilize additional resources, but financial innovation must also mean innovation in access. A mechanism cannot be considered truly innovative if vulnerable countries and local communities cannot effectively access it. We need simpler and faster procedures, lower transaction costs, stronger national capacities and greater direct access to resources. Vulnerable communities cannot wait years before the financial resources become available. and access must also be equitable. If access or ownership to land becomes a prerequisite for finance, the mechanisms designed to build resilience may unintentionally exclude many of the women who are already at the forefront of adapting to drought and land degradation. Innovative finance must therefore be gender responsive by design, expanding women's access to finance and productive resources. Innovation should not translate into additional unsustainable debt for countries already facing significant climate and development challenges. Public grant-based and concessional finance remains essential and particularly for adaptation and for mobilizing additional responsible investment. We must also strengthen synergies across financing for land, climate, biodiversity and development. Our communities experience these challenges together. Our financial architecture should allow us to address them together. Healthy land is resilience infrastructure. Investing into the soils, watersheds, ecosystems and drought preparedness means strengthening adaptive capacity, protecting livelihoods and reducing the economic and social cost of tomorrow crisis. Financial innovation must deliver not simply more finance, but better finance, accessible.

Thank you, Guatemala, for the statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico to be followed by Oman. Mexico, you have the floor.

Thank you, President, distinguished delegates. In 10 years, military spending has increased by 51% to record figures. And official aid development has gone down 23%. So, in terms of land resilience, the existing mechanisms are not an option. They're an imperative. Combined financing guarantees instruments to protect and overcome risks. I want to share some ideas. One, we must use the existing mechanisms better, reducing fragmentation. It is key for platforms and financial instruments to provide solutions to integrated projects for biodiversity, climate, water, land restoration and addressing drought. Two. Successful experiences are available in various parts of the world. And I want to mention that some of these should be exchanged. In Mexico and Latin America, we have certain experiences. Mexico has over two decades of experience working payment for environmental services. which has covered over 10 million hectares with participation of local communities. Furthermore, we are carrying out restoration, our national restoration program, English. This has financial mechanisms with a specific investment and land restoration with carbon mitigation and equivalent investment incorporating agenda perspective to achieve 30% restoration by 2030. The financial mechanisms that contribute to the health of the Earth and to land restoration are based on a basic premise. It is profitable to have a healthy environment. It is profitable for human beings. Thank you.

Thank you, Mexico, for the statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Oman, to be followed by Guinea. Oman, you have the floor.

Excellencies, President, ladies and gentlemen, at this 17th COP, distinguished Executive Secretary, delegates, may the peace of God be upon you on behalf, on my own behalf and that of my country, I wish to express my thanks to the government and people of Mongolia for their generous hospitality, warm welcome and excellent organization of work at this seventeenth COP. the COP is undergoing challenging times seeking to face the growing challenges connected with land degradation and natural resources, drought, climate change and biodiversity issues which has an impact on food security. Bringing a significant reduction in harvests. We see the spread of drought in a number of regions, including the Arab world, and we have a shared responsibility to take effective action to strengthen partnerships and adopt sustainable solutions for ecosystems and broaden nature-based solutions to strengthen the resilience of communities. The outcome of COP 16 showed that there is an interlinkage between the Rio conventions. We must strengthen integrated resource management based on nature. Excellencies, a particular focus has been placed on combating desertification. We have to find our vision within the Oman 2040 program showing that environmental issues are the subject of our commitment to agreements and treaties. We are continuing to apply national initiatives to combat desertification and an action plan against land degradation. We are continuing our efforts for restoration of vegetation cover. We are here to apply the commitments of the Convention and make progress in the implementation of our goals while adopting a shared vision. Thank you.

I thank Oman for this statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guinea to be followed by Haiti. Guinea, you have the floor.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Republic of Guinea, and on behalf of the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, I wish to express deep gratitude to the government and people of Mongolia for their warm hospitality and to the Secretariat of the Convention for organizing this important conference. Guinea remains resolutely committed to achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030. This commitment is now benefiting from particularly strong political impetus under the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Mamady Doumbouya, President of the Republic, Head of State, who has placed preservation of natural capital and the restoration of land at the heart of Guinea's sustainable transformation. This ambition is fully in line with the strategic vision of the Simandou 2040 agenda, which aims to make responsible exploitation of natural resources a lever for economic diversification, human capital development and sustainable prosperity, while respecting environmental balance and the interests of future generations. This political will is translated into concrete actions, Faced with the serious damage caused to land, waterways, forest and the livelihoods of communities, the uncontrolled exploitation of mineral resources, the government has taken resolute action against illegal gold mining, in particular through the closure of artisanal mining sites that do not comply with legal and environmental requirements. Guinea also bears an environmental responsibility that goes far beyond its borders. The Futa Jalon massif, from which many major West African rivers originate, constitutes a strategic ecological heritage for our subregion. Its restoration, the protection of its springs and watersheds, as well as the resilience of the communities that depend upon it, must now be considered as a regional issue of water, food, climate and peace security. That is why Guinea is calling for international mobilization to address this challenge and is continuing its initiatives to restore degraded land. We're working with Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone within the Mano River Union to strengthen concerted management of transboundary natural resources. Guinea calls on the international resources to take international community to take the next step from commitments to measurable investments in land restoration. We call for increased and simplified access to finance. Thank you.

I thank you for the statement. I now pass the floor to the distinguished representative of Haiti to be followed by Kyrgyzstan. Haiti, you have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, distinguished participants, on behalf of the Republic of Haiti, I wish to congratulate the secretariat for the success of this COP17 and express profound thanks to the people and government of Mongolia for their warm welcome and their excellent hospitality. Haiti supports fully the efforts of the convention seeking to strengthen mobilization of financial resources and promote clear negotiations which are inclusive and in line with reality and with the priorities of each country. Sustainable land management is also a major issue for our populations and ecosystems and must be addressed pragmatically. and in determined manner, particularly in a context marked by food insecurity, environmental crises, drought, and the damaging effects of forced migration. Given these challenges, it is crucial to establish adaptive finance mechanisms that are adaptive to national realities, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. We must strengthen the architecture and invest more in an ecosystem resilience, land restoration and food security. The Republic of Haiti thus reiterates its full support to any and all initiatives and negotiations which are constructive and seek to reduce food insecurity address the root causes of forced migration and strengthen Partnerships for a sustainable land management together we must make ecosystem resilience and sustainable land management a priority for a more secure, fair and sustainable future. I thank you.

Thank you Haiti for the statement. We now move on to Kyrgyzstan to be followed by France. Distinguished representative of Kyrgyzstan, you have the floor.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, on behalf of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, I would like to express our appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the ministerial dialogue. And I would like to thank the government of Mongolia for hosting this important platform. For the Kyrgyz Republic, healthy land is not merely an environmental resource. It is critical natural infrastructure that underpins our water, food, energy, and human security. Together with our international partners, we have established a substantial investment portfolio. Taken together, these initiatives represent approximately $168 million in investments in the resilience of our landscapes. We sincerely thank the World Bank, the Green Climate Fund, IFAD, FAO, the Adaptation Fund, the Republic of Korea, and all our partners for their support. However, existing resources remain insufficient. Financing for mountain ecosystems remains limited. Traditional financial models fail to account for the fact that land restoration in the upper reaches of river basins generates economic benefits far beyond the project site, including for irrigation, water supply and energy production in downstream countries. The central challenge is that the international financial architecture still does not fully reflect the specific circumstances of mountain regions. By protecting mountain lands as the sources of major waterways, we safeguard the security of the entire region and to ensure water availability for millions of people downstream. In this regard, the Kyrgyz Republic proposes the establishment of a dedicated financing window for the resilience of mountain lands and river basins, including debt for nature and debt for climate investment mechanisms. Financing should also be provided on the basis of the land lands restored, seedling survival rates, and improvements in the pasture productivity. The Kyrgyz Republic also believes that the beneficiary pays principle should be applied more actively. Water users who benefit from the resilience of upstream watersheds should have the opportunity to co-finance the restoration of mountain ecosystems. the initial results and investment portfolio of this mechanism could be presented at the second Global Mountain summit bishk 25 which will be held in bishk in October 2027 and will Mark.

Thank you kistan for the statement distinguished representative of France you have the floor.

Thank you, Chairperson. Distinguished colleagues, in a world where land is degrading, our responsibility, our collective responsibility is immense. Drought is no longer a one-off crisis. It is a systemic risk that threatens food security, rural economies, and territorial stability. Faced with this challenge, France upholds an integrated approach based on sustainable agriculture and the adaptation of production systems to maintain healthy soils that are capable of storing water. It upholds sustainable efficient water management and development of waste water reuse, the mobilization of nature-based solutions, disaster risk reduction through early warning systems. and better community preparedness. And in cases where we have not been able to avoid environmental degradation, we support soil restoration, which is essential to support populations and economies that have been affected. Our objective is clear to anticipate rather than to suffer. And to make resilience a cornerstone of public policies. In many countries, access to credit remains a major obstacle to transition. Public agricultural banks play an essential role in removing this obstacle. France, through the Agreenfi approach developed by the French Development Agency, supports these institutions with nearly 1.5 billion euros invested over 10 years for the benefit of 25 financial institutions to finance agricultural and rural projects. at the Africa Forward Summit last May, France supported the declaration of Africa public agricultural banks for sustainable development. Collaboration among banks is particularly important to share best practices, identify replicable and adaptive financing solutions in line with national priorities, existing financial systems and local agricultural realities. This is why France is involved via AFD in the coalition of public agricultural banks. No single player can meet these challenges alone. We must rely on an alliance of forces and we must see state producers and civil society working hand in hand to structure sustainable sectors. Together we can improve producers incomes while reducing environmental risks. This is what we're proud to support for example in the Dominican Republic in developing a quality cocoa sector. COP17 is also an opportunity to strengthen with the private sector around the Business for Land initiative and to promote value chains that respect soil, water and biodiversity. This is the meaning of the French hub that has been announced and we will adapt and do it in the most effective way. Thank you.

Thank you, France, for the statement. Now we move on to the list of observers who want to make the statement. We start with permanent interstate committee for, no, we start with Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, to be followed by permanent interstate committee for drought control in the Sahel. Distinguished representative of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, honorable ministers, distinguished delegates and partner of several organizations. It is an honor to address the UNCCD COP17 ministerial dialogue on financial mechanisms on behalf of CAF, Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. CAF presents its compliments to the government of Mongolia in hosting this COP and for its outstanding leadership on the UNCCD agenda and also to complement Mongolia as co-president together with Uruguay on the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. CAF has been accepted as intergovernmental server organization to the UNCCD during COP16 in Riyadh, and during the last two years we have been very active in working with the global mechanism and LAC countries in advancing the agenda of UNCCD implementation. CAF is also an observer to UNFCCC and UNCCD and supports the implementation of projects and operations that integrate climate, biodiversity and land objectives. CAF is also engaged with green funds and we are also a member of the IDRA and we support in the real global drought resilient partnerships and also together with five fast partnerships, we are supporting the rice initiative launched under COP 13 in Belen. CAF has a membership of 23 Latin countries plus Spain and Portugal, with a year of financial approvals of 15 billion US dollars. And considering our latest strategic plan, we have established a floor of 40% by 2026 of green finance, including climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and other environmental benefits, including land restoration and ecosystem regeneration. We are glad to inform that we have reached this goal in 2024, two years earlier than 2025. We have achieved a 43% of green finance, accounting for more than 20 billion US dollars cumulative of green finance in the overall 22-2026 period. During the new U.N. FCCC COP13 in Belen, our newly re-elected executive president, Mr. Sergio Diaz Granados, has pledged an additional $40 billion in green finance for the next period, accelerating and increasing green finance to our region. Within this overall green investment pledges, CAF has specifically pledged $6 billion by 2026 in water resilience, including drought resilience. 8.5 billion US dollars for sustainable reselling and regenerative agriculture and 15 billion US dollars by 2030 in adaptation and disaster risk management. This funding can support the goals and action of lag countries in meeting their LDN and overall UNCC national targets and action frameworks. CAF also together with UNCCD Secretariat and global mechanisms have signed an MOU. Within this framework, we have approved last year a regional technical cooperation grant program. This program was launched during the Panama Creek to support CAF member countries in three pillars of action. Demand swift technical support in the context of LDN targets, regional capacity and collaboration on integration of economics and finance for land degradation and land restorations, and finally on demand.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean for the statement. I now pass the floor to the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel to be followed by Indigenous Peoples Caucus. Distinguished representative of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, ministers, ladies and gentlemen, heads of delegation, on behalf of the state members of the Standing Interstate Committee on the Fight Against Drought in the Sahel, the CILSS wish to offer the following message, investing in pastoralism health, the land, and drought resilience in the Sahel and West Africa is not merely to protect the environment, but it is also to guarantee economic, social, and security stability throughout the region. For the entirety of the West African and Sahelian population, land is a strategic asset. Its restoration is a major economic investment that strengthens food security, social cohesion, and climate resilience. Every dollar invested in land restoration in the Sahel gives rise to many benefits, an increase in agricultural production, green job creation, and a reduction in forced migration. The CILSS capitalizes its 50-some years of experience by coordinating regional programs for integrated water management systems, projects for the restoration of degraded lands, pastoralism, and all of these together in partnership with the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Union, the French Agency for Development, and many other partners besides. These regional approaches favor synergy, the pooling of resources and the alignment of policy. In a context marked by the scarcity of financial resources, the CILSS calls for the implementation of innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and the pooling of regional funds, this all to avoid scattering around the financing. As regards intergovernmental organization, as an intergovernmental organization, the CILSS continues to support member states throughout the entirety of the West African Saharan region in the production of data and information and reliable knowledge for decision making as well as for the development of early warning systems. Much obliged.

I thank the distinguished representative of the permanent interstate committee for drought control in the Sahel for the statement. We now continue with the distinguished representative of indigenous peoples caucus to be followed by United Nations development program. Indigenous peoples caucus, you have the floor.

Thank you, thank you chair and good afternoon. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum of the UNCCD. Indigenous peoples did not create the certification, land degradation, and drought this convention exists to confront. Yet we are among those who carry its heaviest burdens while protecting the land on which implementation depends. Finance that reaches us is not charity. It is a matter of justice and in many of our territories, a matter of reparation for dispossession we did not cause. The operationalization of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership is therefore critical. The $12 billion pledged to the partnership at COP16 to support a number of the most drought-affected countries remains modest compared to the $2.6 trillion that the UNCCD estimates is needed by 2030 to restore degraded land and build resilience to drought. As national drought plans are transformed into bankable and implementable projects, indigenous peoples must not be treated as merely beneficiaries. We therefore call for financing that reaches our territories directly and excessively and is provided as grants rather than loans that create further debt, applies strong human rights safeguards and respects our right to free, prior and informed consent, and ensures our full and effective participation in financial governance and prevents restoration projects from restricting access to our lands, territories and waters or imposing externally designed solutions. On synergies among the three Rio Conventions and their financial mechanisms, coherence matters only when it delivers predictable resources to rights holders and upholds our rights consistently as funding passes between climate, biodiversity, and land architectures. Finally, we express our deep disappointment that item 8 has been deleted from the agenda, which removes the space for full consideration of the terms of reference for the caucus of indigenous peoples. We call on parties to support the sustained operationalization of the caucus on indigenous peoples in accordance with the decision five of COP16. We cannot accept decisions on finance and synergies while the mechanism meant to secure our participation remains unrecognized. Thank you so much.

Distinguished representative of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus, thank you for the statement. Next in the list is the United Nations Development Program, to be followed by Young Professionals for Agricultural Development. United Nations Development Programme, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, distinguished ministers, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Finance, land restoration and drought resilience is fundamental to ensure shared prosperity and planetary health. The economic case is clear. Land degradation, desertification, drought impose enormous costs on economies, communities and ecosystems. Yet, investment in restoration delivers strong results through improved productivity, food security, livelihoods, and resilience. If we are serious about addressing these challenges, finance must be integrated into our strategies from the outset. First, we must mobilize finance at scale. Multilateral funds such as the Global Environmental Facility and the Green Climate Fund remain essential. And UNDP continues to support countries in accessing deploying these resources. But public finance alone is insufficient. Its greatest value lies in reducing risk and creating conditions that affect far larger flows of private capital. We must now channel capital into land restoration, regenerative agriculture, and drought resilience. Initiatives such as the Task Force on Nature Related Financial Disclosure are helping investors recognize both the risks of degradation and the opportunity of sustainable land management. Second, finance must be directed where it can have the greatest impact. Through integrated national financing frameworks, governments in more than 85 countries are aligning public and private finance with sustainable development goals. In Mongolia, this approach has supported green livestock loans that reduce pressure on rangelands while strengthening rural livelihoods, demonstrating how financial innovation can deliver environmental, economic, and social benefits together. At the same time, UNDP's Biodiverse Finance Initiative is evolving towards a broader Rio theme approach, identifying finance opportunities to generate benefits across all three Rio conventions. and improve the cost effectiveness of investments. Excellence, restoring land and strengthening resilience is not only an environmental imperative, it's an economic and development necessity. The cost of inaction far exceeds the investment required. The question is no longer whether we can afford to invest, it's whether we can afford not to. By aligning public and private finance behind national priorities, we can restore landscape, strengthen livelihoods, and build resilience. Finance is the bridge between ambition and implementation. Together, let us ensure the bridge is strong enough to deliver the future we seek. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of UNDP for the statement. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development, to be followed by Pastoralist Goals Foundation. Young Professionals for Agricultural Development, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Excellencies, Ministers, distinguished delegates, a recent UNCCD assessment finds 270 $8 billion annual gap between the funds needed to restore and protect land and the money currently invested. Inaction costs an estimated $878 billion a year, while the required investments could generate $1.8 trillion in added benefits. This is one of the highest return investments available to any government here, and business as usual will not close it. On behalf of the civil society organizations, we urge parties to treat land and health drought resilience as the economical and security priority they are, and to move to financial architecture from reactive relief into anticipatory invest. Building drought resilient required healthy landscapes including protection of grasslands while agri-food systems relied on functional ecosystems. We need to increase investments in agroecology, sustainable land, water management, and the conservation of the agricultural diversity. This required the establishment of an effective instrument on drought management and investing in gender response action for those more affected by drought. Funding needs to integrate traditional, local, and indigenous knowledge into risk assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring is a key. New investment must support multi-sectoral coordination, land and water governance, and stronger institutions at all levels. The way forward is to recognize, support, and finance at scale community-led initiatives. We restore day by day the hope of millions, and we prove this investment works. We use to find institutions, government, and the REDD action agenda to establishment and development to timely, appropriate, and flexible financial instruments such as grants, credit, finance and risk products including insurance and savings. Significant roles in land health, financing directly accessible for indigenous people, local communities, falling farmers, pastoralists, once adjusted organizations to discreet ownership, lower transaction costs and risk affected people faster. And the meaningful participation in the financial decision making of those levels, last but not least, let us invest in people who live with drought and protect the ecosystem that is in path, a strong institution that sustains resilience and ensure the finance reach those in the front lines. jobs resilient, be most locally human rights and ecosystem based and equally finance. We urge parties to maintain the strength of the meaningful participation of the front allied actors will elevate gender and synergies of the Rio Convention agenda. Thank you, Chair.

I thank Young Professionals for Agricultural Development for their statement. Now I pass the floor to the distinguished representative of Pastoralist Goals Foundation, to be followed by Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. Pastoralist Goals Foundation, you have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates and partners, the Pastoralist Goals Foundation welcomes the reframing of land restoration and drought resilience as a core economic priorities. Pastoralists manage over a third of the arts land service, uh, range lands that sustain livestock, protect biodiversity and feed millions, billions. Yet despite being on the front lines of the certification, pastoralist communities remain severely underfunded. Closing the annual land financing gap requires direct investment in range land stewardships for centuries. Pastoralists have practiced adaptive mobility and sustainable land management, serving as the primary guardians of drylands. Treating land as a strategic asset must mean treating pastoralists as essential economic partners. We call on the parties, multilateral development banks, and private investors to act on three priorities. One, direct public finance guarantees and nature positive financial instruments directly to pastoralist led organizations and community land, reducing transaction costs and ensuring funds reach the ground. Second, we ask the parties to fully support the scaling up of community driven restoration, secure land tenure rights and build climate resilience livestock value chains. Third, ensure mechanisms that prioritize fair, positive value chains that protect pastoral livelihoods and traditional ecological knowledge against land grabbing. Pastoralism is a proven high return strategy for dry land resilience. Investing in pastoralists delivers an eight to one return by securing food systems, stabilizing fragile regions, and restoring degraded ecosystems. We urge this COP17 finance day to move from incremental grants to structural equitable investments. Allocate capital where it matters most, to the pastoralist communities safeguarding our world's rangelands. Thank you.

Pastoralist Goals Foundation, thank you for your statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. You have the floor.

Chair, excellencies, distinguished guests and colleagues, it's a privilege to speak on behalf of CGIAR. Healthy land is not simply an environmental outcome to be financed. It is productive infrastructure and a strategic asset to be invested in. Yet, Our financial systems is to capture only a fraction of this value. UNCCD estimates show that around USD 355 billion is needed annually between 2025 to 2030 to meet land restoration and drought resilience goals, while current annual investment is about USD 7 billion. This is not only a financial gap, it is also a value recognition, risk reduction, investment design gap. CGIAR sees three shifts as essential. First, we must move from treating land restoration as a cost to investing in land as an asset. For this, science can make the benefits and returns visible. Second, we must move from isolated projects to investment portfolios. Land degradation is a systems problem. Science can provide integrated solutions that connect institutions, markets, finance. Isolated sectoral approach failed to achieve this target. Sir, we must move from measuring activities to measuring performance and returns. Finance needs credible evidence of what works, where, at what cost, with what benefits and risks, and for whom. Science can help reduce uncertainty, improve targeting, and help return restoration ambitions into propositions. And the farmers, pastoralists, indigenous people, and local communities who manage these resources must be key partners in this investment. not simply beneficiaries. CJR stands ready to work with partners, financial institutions, parties to provide the science, evidence, data and decision tools needed to support this transition. If we make the multiple values of healthy land visible, we can make investment in land more compelling. If we make investment credible and locally grounded, we can move from project to scale. Healthy land is productive infrastructure. Investing in it is investing in food security, water security, drought resilience, and future economic prosperity. Thank you.

Thank the distinguished representative of the consultative group on international agricultural research. We have heard the last speaker for the first ministerial dialogue. I thank all the speakers for their valuable contribution and all participants for their interest in this important dialogue. Tomorrow, the ministerial dialogue on drought resilience will take place in the plenary hall at 10:00 a.m. The second COP17 open dialogue session originally scheduled for today will take place tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. in the plenary hall. Further, more information on the program for COP17 and related meetings is available on the conference website and on the UNCCD application. The meeting is adjourned.