(photo: unccd.int)

Running until Dec. 13 under the theme of "Our Land. Our Future," the event marks a milestone as the largest UN land-focused conference to date and the first UNCCD COP to take place in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the UNCCD, highlighted the significance of land restoration, describing it as "one of the most effective tools to address some of the greatest challenges of our time – climate change, food insecurity, economic inequality, forced migration, and even global instability."

He said by 2050, up to 7.5 billion people will feel the impact of drought, calling for immediate action.

During the ongoing COP 16, which will mark the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, delegates are expected to decide on collective actions to accelerate land restoration efforts, enhance resilience to droughts and sand storms, restore soil health, and scale up nature-positive food production by 2030 and beyond.