Plenary session of the UNCCD CRIC 21: A Collective Commitment to Combating Desertification

The opening session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC21) organized by the UNCCD began with statements that highlighted the huge importance of global commitment to combating desertification and land degradation.

Mrs. Biljana Kilibarda, Chair of CRIC, highlighted the holistic approach adopted, calling for close collaboration and mobilization of collective expertise. She said sustainable progress on a global scale can be achieved through coordinated and joint efforts.

A video was broadcast, highlighting Uzbekistan's remarkable efforts to address environmental challenges. His Excellency, Mr Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, recalled the challenges facing the country, including sand and dust storms. He expressed hope that the Samarkand Declaration would be well adopted by the participating parties, highlighting the critical situation of the Aral Sea as a major challenge for Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, delivered an urgent message, emphasizing the need to step up degraded lands restoration ambition and action across the world.

Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) recalled the collective responsibility in preserving nature. He introduced the new UNCCD Land Degradation Data Dashboard, providing land loss trends for the first time. Mr. Thiaw called for an active contribution for upcoming reports of the Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS).

Finally, the President of the Africa group, Mr. Khaled Cherki expressed Africa's concerns, particularly regarding droughts and gender inequalities, calling for serious consideration of these issues in future discussions.

The opening session of CRIC 21 laid the foundations for a thoughtful dialogue and the collective will to face the pressing challenges of desertification and land degradation.