GREAT GREEN WALL PLATFORM
Global Conference on desertification kicks-off in Turkey
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially opened the high level segment of the 12th session of the Conference of the Parties, currently in progress in Ankara, Turkey.
Nearly 4,000 participants are gathered in Turkey to decide on how to stop and reverse the growing threats of drought and desertification that have displaced and destroyed the livelihoods of billions of people around the world.
Failing to act on land degradation today could lead to global food production falling by 12 per cent over the next 25 years and lead to a 30 per cent increase in the world food prices.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver a message at the opening while high-ranking government officials will engage in dialogue on issues high on the global political agenda, including climate change resilience, drought, land rights and the translation of the recently adopted Global Goal on Life on Land.
The high-level segment of the conference will be attended by about 75 high ranking government representatives, including more than 55 ministers and deputy-ministers.
Nigeria delegation to the conference include Mr Goni Ahmed Director General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
At the high-level segment of the twelfth session of the conference of the parties, ministers and other heads of delegation will hold plenary discussions in the form of three ministerial round tables and three interactive dialogue sessions as follows: From global to local: translating land degradation neutrality into action; Drought adaptation: mainstreaming drought management policy in national agendas and mitigating the effects of drought; Land-based approach to climate change and resilience through sustainable land management;
There will also be an interactive dialogue session with civil society organizations on land rights.
It is anticipated that the high-level segment will bring political momentum to the deliberations of country parties and boost the engagement of stakeholders in the implementation of the United Nations Convention ..to Combat Desertification.