COP17 summit in Mongolia sees African coalition launch against illegal mining

At the COP17 summit of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, African nations have adopted a declaration to form a coalition against illegal gold mining and land degradation. Led by Côte d'Ivoire, the coalition aims to address the ecological, public health, and economic threats posed by clandestine mining. The initiative focuses on five key areas, including cross-border cooperation, information exchange, and the restoration of degraded lands.

In a separate effort during the summit, the Semmama Cultural Center, founded by Tunisian poet and actor Adnen Helali, organized a cultural event titled ‘Semmama Day... Resisting Cultural Desertification’. The event was part of the ‘Silk Road World Caravan’ to promote pastoralism and rural territories. The COP17 summit seeks to accelerate ecosystem restoration and mobilize funding for countries most affected by desertification, particularly in vulnerable regions like Mongolia, where sandstorms and dust storms have significantly increased since the 1960s.