Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Giorgio Silli participated today in Riyadh at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16). He spoke at the third High-Level Ministerial Dialogue, titled “Impacts of Land Degradation and Drought on Forced Migration, Security, and Prosperity.”
“Italy recognizes the fundamental role of sustainable land management and has been committed for years to implementing development cooperation initiatives aimed at addressing global challenges related to climate change, particularly in regions most vulnerable to the effects of desertification,” commented Silli.
The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is participating in COP16 in Riyadh alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) with three side events. These events, approaching the issues from different perspectives, aim to analyze innovative solutions and strategic collaborations to tackle challenges such as land degradation, drought, and desertification while promoting climate resilience and sustainable resource management.
The first event, “Nexus Approaches and Source-to-Sea Management: Tools to Strengthen Convention Efforts for Sustainable Land Management,” is scheduled for December 3 at 3:30 PM. It will explore cross-sectoral strategies, such as the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus and the “source-to-sea” approach, to halt land degradation and promote land restoration. The panel will discuss practical examples of sustainable management and transboundary cooperation to enhance climate resilience, prevent conflicts, and optimize resource use.
On December 10 at 6:00 PM, the side event titled “If You Want to Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want to Go Far, Go Together: An African Proverb Inspiring Drought Resilience in Africa” will take place. Guided by this African saying, the panel of experts will address the theme of collective action to strengthen resilience to natural disasters. It will showcase the progress of the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) and opportunities offered by the Mattei Plan to accelerate investments. The goal is to foster a forward-looking dialogue on central issues such as monitoring, early warning, and capacity building to tackle droughts and floods in the continent most vulnerable to extreme climatic events.
On December 11 at 3:30 PM, the event “Turning Good Intentions into Actions and Degradation into Restoration: 40 Years of Evolution in the Fight Against Desertification in Niger – What’s Next?” will explore the evolution of combating desertification in the Sahel. Starting from the 1980s Keita Project (Niger), it will highlight the new strategies promoted by Italian Cooperation. The event will analyze the technical, social, institutional, and gender-related factors that have influenced the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent soil loss. The discussion will involve government institutions, academics, and international experts with the aim of strengthening efforts to reverse desertification and turn intentions into tangible actions.