Yemen delegation attends UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia

A Yemeni delegation, led by Ahmed Al-Zamki, the Undersecretary of the Irrigation Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, is participating in the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The conference, themed ‘Land Restoration, Hope Restoration’, addresses global challenges regarding land degradation, desertification, and drought, which impact food security and economic stability. The Yemeni delegation aims to secure international funding for desertification combat projects, drought warning programs, and technology transfer.

On the sidelines of the summit, Al-Zamki met with Ulrich Abel of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to discuss enhancing support for Yemen’s environmental and climate projects. Discussions focused on the implementation of GEF-7 and GEF-8 projects and planning for GEF-9. A key priority discussed was the strategic Hassan Dam project in the Abyan Delta, which is intended to protect agricultural land from floods, mitigate drought, and improve groundwater management.