The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and the Asian Development Bank jointly convened a multilateral consultation to discuss coordination among the Rio Conventions and implementation of the Steppe Plan.

In her opening remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs B.Battsetseg, who serves as President of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), emphasized the need for greater policy coordination and stronger multilateral cooperation to address interconnected challenges, including climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. She highlighted the importance of aligning national policies and international commitments with financing and investment to achieve meaningful progress.

Minister B.Battsetseg also reaffirmed Mongolia’s commitment, as the host country presiding over UNCCD COP17, to maintaining the momentum for cooperation generated by the conference, strengthening synergies among the three Rio Conventions, and working closely with international partners to translate initiatives under the Steppe Plan into tangible results.

The consultation brought together representatives of government agencies, diplomatic missions, international organizations, development partners, financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and academic institutions. Participants exchanged views on potential areas for future cooperation and ways to advance the objectives of the meeting.