UNCCD COP16 Riyadh President: Addressing Drought Requires an Integrated Approach, Combining Environmental, Economic, and Social Policies
His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and President of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley emphasized that addressing drought requires a comprehensive approach that integrates environmental, economic, and social policies. He highlighted the need for unifying efforts to achieve sustainable outcomes and fulfill the commitments of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. During the Ministerial Dialogue on Drought Resilience from Geneva to Riyadh, Eng. Al-Fadley said, “The purpose of the dialogue is to strengthen global and national policy tools for the proactive management of drought, a critical environmental challenge impacting ecosystems, economies, and societies.” He further noted, “The world is actively working to tackle this issue through various international initiatives, such as the Integrated Drought Management Programme by the Global Water Partnership, the World Meteorological Organization, the Drought Initiative of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, and the establishment of international working groups focused on drought.” Eng. Al-Fadley emphasized that the outcomes of the Drought Resilience Conference, following a decade of managing drought risks, highlighted the importance of proactive policies and a holistic approach that combines land and water management. He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to implementing national drought management policies and creating effective governance structures to support these initiatives, while also considering social and gender diversity. Eng. Al-Fadley explained that financing and capacity building are crucial for implementing policies and developing both national and regional resilience plans to ensure effective drought management. He added that the Kingdom encourages collaboration between the public and private sectors to mobilize innovative financing mechanisms, highlighting that this cooperation was reflected in Saudi Arabia’s presidency of UNCCD COP16 and the active involvement of the private sector and civil society as key players.
