Why Africa Should Pay Close Attention to Ulaanbaatar - PAN AFRICAN VISIONS
As Mongolia prepares to host UNCCD COP17, the world and Africa in particular has an opportunity to rethink land restoration as an investment in food security, economic resilience, peace and sustainable. . .
As Mongolia prepares to host UNCCD COP17, the world and Africa in particular has an opportunity to rethink land restoration as an investment in food security, economic resilience, peace and sustainable development. By Baboloki Semele*Speaking ahead of the UNCCD COP 17, UNCCD Executive Secretary Dr. Yasmine Fouad says UNCCD provides a platform for countries to exchange experiences, strengthen partnerships, and translate science into practical action. By learning from one another and investing in restoration, countries can build more sustainable and resilient futures. In the global climate conversation, attention often gravitates toward carbon markets, renewable energy and emissions targets. Yet beneath every discussion about climate resilience lies a more fundamental asset land. Land produces the food that feeds humanity. It filters and stores freshwater, supports biodiversity, sustains rural economies and anchors the livelihoods of billions. When it thrives, communities prosper. When it degrades, the consequences ripple across economies, food systems, migration patterns and even national security. It is against this backdrop that the world’s attention will turn toUlaanbaatar, Mongolia, where the17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)will convene from17–28 August 2026under the theme“Restoring Land. Restoring Hope. ”For many Africans, Mongolia may appear to be an unlikely venue for one of the world’s most consequential environmental gatherings. But beneath the vast grasslands of Central Asia lies a story that mirrors the realities confronting millions across Africa; from Botswana and Namibia to Kenya, Ethiopia and the Sahel. The environmental challenges that have brought the world to Mongolia are not unique to Asia. They are increasingly defining the future of Africa. More Than an Environmental SummitThe significance of COP17 extends far beyond discussions about trees, soils or desertification. The conference is expected to bring together delegates from all197 Parties to the UNCCD, alongside ministers, scientists, business leaders, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, youth organizations, development partners and civil society to address one of the defining development challenges of our time: how to restore degraded land while creating resilient economies and secure livelihoods. Today,up to 40 percent of the world’s land is degraded, undermining food production, reducing water availability, accelerating biodiversity loss and weakening economic productivity. These impacts are especially severe in developing countries where agriculture remains the backbone of rural livelihoods. But COP17 is not expected to become another conference dominated by declarations and ambitious pledges. Instead, according toUNCCD Executive Secretary Dr. Yasmine Fouad, the world has reached a turning point. Speaking ahead of the COP, Dr. Fouad observed that countries no longer need convincing about the scale of the crisis. “The challenge is no longer understanding the problem—we know what is at stake. The priority now is implementation. ”That single observation may become the defining message of COP17. For years, governments have negotiated targets and adopted international commitments. Now comes the harder task: delivering results that communities can actually see. The Economics of RestorationOne of the strongest messages emerging ahead of COP17 is that land restoration is no longer simply an environmental responsibility but an economic necessity. Globally, implementing national plans to combat land degradation and drought requires approximatelyUS$355 billion every year. Current investment, however, stands at onlyUS$77 billion annually. The financing gap is enormous. Yet, perhaps more striking is the cost of doing nothing. According to the UNCCD, land degradation already costs the global economynearly US$900 billion every year, while drought alone causes at least anotherUS$300 billion in annual losses. These figures fundamentally change how restoration should be viewed. “It is not an environmental cost,” Dr. Fouad argues. “It is an investment in economic resilience, food security, water security and sustainable development. ”For African governments grappling with fiscal constraints, this distinction is critical. Every dollar invested in restoring degraded land reduces future expenditure on food imports, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, migration pressures and economic recovery. In other words, restoration is preventive economics. Why Mongolia Matters to AfricaAt first glance, Mongolia and Africa appear worlds apart. Yet both are confronting remarkably similar challenges. Nearly77 percent of Mongolia’s territoryhas already been affected by land degradation and desertification. Average temperatures have risen by more than2°C since the 1940s—more than twice the global average. Rainfall continues to decline. Sand and dust storms have more than tripled over the past six decades. The devastating2023–2024 dzud, a uniquely Mongolian climatic disaster combining severe summer drought followed by an exceptionally harsh winter, resulted in the loss ofmore than seven million livestock. For pastoral communities, this represented not simply an environmental catastrophe but an economic one. Livestock are livelihoods. The parallels with Africa are unmistakable. Across Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, prolonged droughts are reducing pasture productivity, shrinking water sources and threatening millions of livestock. Communities dependent on pastoralism face increasingly uncertain futures as climate extremes become more frequent. The lesson emerging from Mongolia is clear:Climate shocks do not occur in isolation. They trigger cascading crises affecting food security, employment, migration, public finances and national stability. Healthy Land Means Healthy WaterAmong the most compelling policy messages ahead of COP17 is the growing recognition that land and water cannot be managed separately. For decades, many countries approached water scarcity primarily through dams, boreholes and irrigation infrastructure. UNCCD argues that such thinking is incomplete. Healthy soils act like natural reservoirs. They absorb rainfall, recharge groundwater, regulate river flows and reduce runoff. When land degrades, soils lose this capacity. Water disappears more quickly. Groundwater declines. Rivers dry up. Drought intensifies. In Mongolia, hundreds of lakes and rivers have disappeared during the past decade. While changing rainfall patterns are part of the explanation, degraded landscapes have dramatically reduced the land’s ability to retain water. Dr. Fouad believes countries must fundamentally rethink this relationship. “Healthy land and healthy water systems are inseparable,” she explains. “Restoring landscapes is one of the most effective ways to improve water security while reducing the impacts of drought. ”This message resonates strongly across Southern Africa, where countries increasingly face simultaneous land degradation and water shortages. Moving Beyond Crisis ResponseOne of the recurring themes expected to dominate COP17 is prevention. Historically, governments have tended to respond after disasters strike. Emergency food aid. Livestock support. Humanitarian relief. Reconstruction. But UNCCD argues that prevention is significantly more effective and substantially cheaper. Around the world, droughts have increased by nearly one-third since 2000. Meanwhile, global water demand is projected to exceed available supplies by as much as40 percent by 2030. Rather than reacting to emergencies, countries should invest earlier in:sustainable land management;healthy soils;drought preparedness;ecosystem restoration;efficient water use;early warning systems; andscience-based planning. Increasingly, technology is becoming part of this solution. Artificial intelligence, satellite observation and digital monitoring systems now enable governments to forecast drought, monitor land degradation and guide restoration efforts with unprecedented precision. For Africa, where digital innovation is expanding rapidly, these technologies present significant opportunities to leapfrog traditional approaches to environmental management. Financing the FutureIf implementation is the defining challenge, financing remains its greatest obstacle. Public budgets alone cannot restore the world’s degraded landscapes. Dr. Fouad believes governments must use public investment strategically to unlock larger flows of finance from development banks, private investors and international partners. This requires policy reforms that reduce investment risk while creating incentives for sustainable land management. Equally important is integrating land restoration across agriculture, water, infrastructure, climate and food systems policies. Too often, governments invest in these sectors independently. The result is fragmented development. Integrated planning, by contrast, generates multiple benefits from a single investment. For African governments facing constrained budgets, such policy coherence could significantly improve development outcomes. Can Trees Alone Restore Landscapes?One of Mongolia’s flagship initiatives is thePresident-led Billion Trees Campaign, launched in 2021 with the ambitious objective of planting one billion trees by 2030. Large-scale tree planting has become increasingly popular worldwide. But UNCCD cautions against viewing restoration solely through the lens of tree numbers. “The right tree must be planted in the right place,” Dr. Fouad explains. Successful restoration begins not with planting trees but with understanding ecosystems. In dryland regions such as Mongolia and indeed much of Africa healthy grasslands and rangelands can be just as important as forests. Restoration means improving soils, protecting biodiversity, strengthening water retention and supporting the livelihoods of local communities. Its success should therefore be measured not by the number of seedlings planted but by healthier landscapes, more resilient ecosystems and stronger rural economies. This lesson is particularly relevant across Africa, where ambitious tree-planting campaigns are increasingly being launched alongside initiatives such as the Great Green Wall. Mining, Development and the EnvironmentLike many African countries, Mongolia faces another familiar dilemma. Its economy depends heavily on mineral resources. Mining generates employment, exports and public revenue. Yet poorly managed extraction can accelerate land degradation, water stress and ecosystem decline. According to Dr. Fouad, this should not become a choice between development and conservation. Instead, responsible mining, sustainable agriculture, water management and ecosystem restoration must form part of one integrated national development strategy. Land, she argues, should be viewed as productive natural capital rather than simply an environmental asset. Countries that protect their natural capital today are ultimately strengthening long-term economic competitiveness. This message is particularly relevant for mineral-rich African economies seeking inclusive and sustainable growth. A Global Opportunity for RangelandsCOP17 also coincides with theUnited Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, an initiative championed by Mongolia. Rangelands cover more than half of Earth’s land surface. They directly support approximately500 million peoplewhile contributing aroundone-sixth of global nutrition needs. Yet they remain among the world’s most neglected ecosystems. For Africa’s millions of pastoralists, this global recognition represents a long-overdue opportunity to elevate rangelands within national development agendas. Healthy rangelands mean healthier livestock, stronger food systems, improved biodiversity and more resilient rural economies. Restoring HopePerhaps the greatest contribution Mongolia can make through COP17 is changing how the world thinks about land. Land restoration is no longer simply about reversing environmental damage. It is about reducing poverty. Creating jobs. Strengthening food systems. Protecting water. Reducing conflict over scarce natural resources. Supporting climate adaptation. Building resilient economies. For Africa, these priorities could hardly be more relevant. The conversations taking place in Ulaanbaatar will influence financing decisions, policy frameworks, scientific cooperation and international partnerships for years to come. They will shape how countries invest in the landscapes upon which their economies—and their people—depend. As Dr. Yasmine Fouad reflected ahead of the conference, the message is ultimately simple yet profound:“Land is our most vital infrastructure — underpinning food security, water, livelihoods and stability. When land fails, insecurity rises — through lost livelihoods, forced displacement and increased competition over scarce resources. With UNCCD COP17, Mongolia is offering the world a powerful message: Restoring Land, Restoring Hope is not only an environmental agenda, but a development and resilience priority. As drought intensifies and land degradation accelerates, the conference must drive practical, investable solutions — from restoring degraded land and soils to strengthening the land–water nexus — so that communities can thrive. ”For Africa, Ulaanbaatar is not simply hosting another global conference. It may well be helping to define the next chapter in sustainable development. 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 catalyze collective action on rangelands, resilience and water, as well as food systems and soil health. *Dr Baboloki Semele is a youth and gender advocate and expert validator with the African Union High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) he canbe reached atbabolokis@ygef. org. bw