With the participation of the Minister of Agriculture, the Arab Group at COP17 holds its eighth coordination meeting and affirms its support for Palestine in facing the effects of drought.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: August 28, 2026

The Arab Group participating in the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) held its eighth coordination meeting, chaired by Dr. Ahmed Abdel-Aty, representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt and head of the Arab team for the session. The meeting was attended by Professor Riziq Slaimiya, Minister of Agriculture, as well as several ministers of agriculture, environment, and irrigation, heads of delegations, deputy ministers, undersecretaries, and representatives of the League of Arab States and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, in addition to Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

The meeting emphasized the importance of unifying the Arab position and strengthening coordination and cooperation in addressing the challenges of desertification, drought, and land degradation. It also stressed the need to exchange expertise and experiences among Arab countries, develop sustainable mechanisms for financing land degradation neutrality programs, and enhance regular consultations between the Arab Group and the Convention Secretariat. These efforts aim to support the priorities and interests of the Arab region in relevant international forums.

In this context, the Arab Group reiterated its support for the State of Palestine in its efforts to address the effects of drought, which are exacerbated by Israeli occupation practices and restrictions on access to land and natural resources. The Group emphasized the importance of Arab solidarity and strengthening joint cooperation to support the most affected Arab countries. The Executive Secretary of the Convention also affirmed her commitment to enhancing cooperation with Arab states, expressing her appreciation for the Arab Group's role and contribution to the success of the Convention and the achievement of its objectives. She stressed the need to coordinate efforts and capitalize on the opportunity presented by the upcoming conference in the Arab Republic of Egypt.