In the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, where the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) will be held from 17 to 28 August 2026, a coalition of more than 300 organizations from 45 countries is calling on governments to make land restoration a tool for preventing conflicts and building peace. This mobilization is driven by the civil declaration on Land, Peace and Security, as reported by Benin Web TV.
The initiative is led by the organization Surge Africa, following consultations with civil society, and aims to integrate the links between land degradation, competition over natural resources, displacement of populations, and instability into public policies. The declaration is an advocacy document rather than a binding decision for the States Parties to the Convention, and is based on four pillars: governance, financing, partnerships, and implementation and follow-up.
The signatories to the declaration call for conflict-affected, post-conflict, or fragile states to be recognized as particularly vulnerable, with such recognition facilitating their access to adequate financing and capacity-building programs. The declaration calls for inclusive and conflict-sensitive land policies, with a focus on the security of use rights, the participation of women and local communities in decision-making, and a more equitable sharing of land, water, and other natural resources.
Supporters of the declaration argue that water scarcity, declining soil productivity, and loss of livelihoods can exacerbate existing tensions. Land restoration is presented as a means to support incomes, strengthen community resilience, and reduce conflicts related to access to resources. On the financial side, the declaration includes calls for more accessible financing mechanisms for local initiatives and fragile regions, and the text also calls for increased cooperation between civil society organizations, governments, businesses, and Southern partners, with indicators to monitor commitments.
The United Nations estimates that degradation affects up to 40% of the planet's land. The official program of COP17 includes a roundtable on 26 August under the "Forests for Peace" initiative, dedicated to the links between restoration, environmental cooperation, conflict prevention, and natural resource governance.