COP16 Chair Advisor Osama Faqeeha: Global Drought Efforts Shift from "Crisis Response" to "Proactive Prevention"
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification's 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 17. SINA Corp's ESG Rating Center provides 14 ESG services, including news, reports, training, and consulting, to help listed companies promote ESG concepts and enhance their ESG sustainability performance. Click here to view the [ESG Rating Center Service Manual]. SINA Corp reporters Jiang Luyao and Zhang Ao report from Ulaanbaatar.
Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Advisor to the COP16 President, stated in an interview with SINA Corp at the conference that the "Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership," launched at COP16, has mobilized approximately $2.2 billion in funding. This partnership is driving a global shift in drought management from a "crisis response" model to one of "proactive prevention."
Faqeeha noted that traditional drought approaches often involve action only after a drought occurs, by which time "communities are devastated, water sources are exhausted, food supplies are critical, and livelihoods are destroyed." In contrast, the goal of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership is to prepare for drought issues before they arise, integrating drought resilience into national development plans. This partnership aims to transform global thinking on drought management, moving from post-disaster reactive response to pre-disaster proactive prevention.
Faqeeha explained that since the partnership's launch at COP16, its governance framework has been steadily refined. The "Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership" held its first steering committee meeting in Cologne, Germany, and a second meeting in Poland last summer, with 64 countries participating, clarifying the roles of regional governments. The organizational structure of the steering committee, the development entities, and relevant initiatives involving beneficiary countries and international organizations have also been defined. In December, the partnership held its first steering committee meeting in Panama, with a second meeting held recently.
Faqeeha revealed that related projects are expected to be officially announced next year, finalizing the government participation mechanism, reference framework, and partner list. "We see a positive response from all parties, with funds gradually being secured. A partnership has been established with the Green Climate Fund to advance cooperation in innovative fields and assist countries in addressing challenges like drought," Faqeeha said.
Faqeeha stated, "The next decade will be a critical period, requiring joint efforts from all parties to elevate drought resilience work to a higher level."
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