Ulaanbaatar, Aug 6 (IANS) India’s Ambassador to Mongolia, Atul Malhari Gotsurve, on Thursday visited the venue of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)’s Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Ulaanbaatar.
“On 6 August 2026, HE Mr Atul Malhari Gotsurve, Ambassador of India, along with the Resident Diplomatic Corps, visited the venue of the UNCCD COP17. Present at the event were HE Mr T Sandag Ochir, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, HE G Amartuvshin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, senior officials, etc,” the Indian Embassy in Mongolia stated on X.
The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UNCCD will be hosted by Mongolia in its capital city, Ulaanbaatar, from August 17 to 28 under the theme of ‘Restoring Land. Restoring Hope’.
According to UNCCD, COP17 is expected to bring together delegates from UNCCD’s 197 parties, alongside leaders from government, business and civil society, as well as scientists, youth, indigenous peoples, pastoralists and smallholder farmers. They will convene to forge solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought, recognising that restoring land is also essential to reducing instability, preventing displacement and strengthening human and national security in vulnerable regions.
COP17 is taking place during the United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026), declared by the United Nations General Assembly and championed by Mongolia.
UNCCD stated that this presents a major opportunity to accelerate action on the sustainable management, restoration and conservation of rangelands, while spotlighting the needs of pastoralist communities who depend directly on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.
During the two-week conference, participants will engage in a high-level segment including ministerial dialogues, alongside multistakeholder forums and thematic discussions on science–policy integration, innovation and solutions, tools and technologies, and financing. In addition to formal negotiations, COP17 is expected to catalyse collective action on rangelands, resilience and water, as well as food systems and soil health.
–IANS
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