Egypt selected to host 2028 UN desertification conference

Egypt has been unanimously selected to host the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2028. The decision was announced by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the closing session of the 17th COP held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The unanimous vote from member state delegations is cited as a reflection of international confidence in Egypt’s active role in climate and environmental issues. This follows Egypt’s previous hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in 2022 and the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14) in 2018.

The UNCCD, established following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, focuses on combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought to support global water and food security. The convention places a specific priority on the African continent.