Dr. Fawzy Younis: Egypt and the Upcoming COP18.. From Hosting Conferences to Leading the Land and Drought Agenda

 The Arab Republic of Egypt is preparing for a new phase in its journey with international environmental action through its anticipated hosting of the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2028. This hosting cannot be viewed merely as another international event added to Egypt’s list of conferences; rather, it represents a continuation of a long trajectory of active Egyptian engagement in environmental, climate, biodiversity, and land issues.

In a world where pressure on natural resources is mounting, degraded land areas are expanding, and drought is emerging as one of the gravest threats to food and water security, Egypt’s hosting of COP18 assumes special significance—not only for Egypt, but for the African continent, the Arab region, and the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and desertification.

The Journey of the Desertification Convention: From Paris to Sharm El-Sheikh

The UNCCD was established in 1994, when it was adopted in Paris as the first legally binding international agreement dealing directly with desertification, land degradation, and drought. The Convention entered into force in December 1996, followed by the first Conference of the Parties in Rome, Italy, in 1997.

Since then, the Convention’s agenda has evolved significantly. Desertification is no longer debated merely as a local or regional environmental problem; it has become directly linked to issues of food security, water, migration, poverty, economic stability, and even human security in many regions.

Over the years, it has become evident that the world cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or address climate change impacts without seriously tackling land issues. Land is the convergence point among food, water, climate, and biodiversity; any disruption in land health reverberates across all these sectors.

Milestones on the Path to COP18

Recent years have witnessed a notable surge in global attention toward drought and land restoration issues, which was evident in several recent Conferences of the Parties:

* COP15 (Abidjan, 2022): Adopted 38 decisions aimed at strengthening community and national resilience against drought and curbing land degradation, while highlighting the Abidjan Legacy Program as a key initiative to boost investments in land restoration and sustainable development.

* COP16 (Riyadh, 2024): Affirmed that drought has become a global issue requiring stronger partnerships, financing, and implementation mechanisms. The conference witnessed the launch of the “Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership” to support countries and communities hardest hit by the phenomenon.

* COP17 (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 17–28, 2026): Held under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope,” sending a clear message that the world no longer has the luxury of postponing action on land and drought crises.

Although major files—most notably the Global Drought Treaty—did not reach a final formulation, the conference achieved important steps, including the development of a drought resilience index, the introduction of new mechanisms to encourage investment in this field, and the mobilization of fresh funding to support land restoration.

Perhaps the most significant outcome of COP17 was elevating the prominence of the drought file on the international agenda, paving the way for COP18 to be a decisive milestone in transitioning from political dialogue to clearer mechanisms for implementation, financing, and accountability.

Egypt: A Continuous Presence at the Heart of Environmental Diplomacy

Egypt’s hosting of COP18 did not happen in a vacuum. Over recent years, the Egyptian state has cemented its position as a key actor in the multilateral environmental architecture.

In 2018, Egypt hosted the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP14) in Sharm El-Sheikh under the theme “Investing in Biodiversity for People and Planet.” The conference served as a vital milestone in strengthening global dialogue on the future of biodiversity and the role of nature in achieving sustainable development.

This was followed by the hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022, which granted Egypt an even stronger international standing. The Egyptian COP Presidency successfully steered climate discussions from a phase of pledges to implementation, historically marked by the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund to support developing countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Between COP14, COP27, and preparations for COP18, a clear picture emerges of an Egyptian strategy grounded in the principle that environmental issues are not isolated files, but rather an interconnected system binding together climate, land, water, biodiversity, and development.

Furthermore, Egypt has played a prominent role in the African continent through its presidency of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), contributing to the coordination of African positions and defending the continent’s priorities in international environmental negotiations.

Egyptian Participation in COP17: A Step Toward Sharm El-Sheikh 2028

Egypt’s participation in COP17 in Mongolia unfolded within the framework of this expanding role. Egyptian experts, including representatives from specialized research institutions such as the Desert Research Center, participated in various technical and negotiation sessions.

Arab consultative meetings featured discussions on enhancing coordination among Arab countries regarding desertification and biodiversity files, alongside efforts to develop joint mechanisms to unify negotiation visions and stances.

The platform also provided an opportunity to showcase several Egyptian experiences in ecosystem restoration, dryland management, and rainwater harvesting, particularly in the northwestern coast and desert regions.

These experiences carry a critical message: addressing desertification cannot be achieved solely through isolated tree-planting or sand-dune stabilization projects; rather, it requires an integrated vision linking water management, soil conservation, agricultural development, local community empowerment, climate adaptation, mitigation, carbon management, and the transition toward low-carbon climate-smart agriculture.

Consequently, Egypt’s participation in COP17 can be viewed as a practical step within the early preparation pathway for hosting COP18.

What Does COP18 Mean for Egypt?

At the national level, hosting COP18 offers Egypt a major opportunity to reinforce its status as a regional and international hub for environmental dialogue. It can also help attract additional investments and funding directed toward land restoration, drought management, sustainable agriculture, and natural resource conservation.

Additionally, the conference can open avenues for Egyptian universities, research centers, the private sector, and civil society to engage more deeply in international initiatives and present Egyptian experiences as scalable models for arid and semi-arid environments.

At the regional level, Egypt’s hosting represents an opportunity to amplify the African and Arab voice, especially given that the region comprises a large number of countries facing similar challenges, including water scarcity, land degradation, desertification, and declining agricultural productivity.

Internationally, COP18 can serve as a vital platform to finalize files left unresolved at previous conferences, chief among them the development of a more robust global drought framework, improved financing mechanisms, and enhanced investments in land restoration.

From Conferences to Building a Legacy

The true value of hosting a conference of COP18’s magnitude will not be measured solely by the number of participating delegations or the volume of events held in Sharm El-Sheikh, but by the enduring legacy left behind.

True success will lie in building a long-term legacy comprising new projects, international partnerships, scientific and research capacities, investments in desertification-affected regions, and support programs for the most vulnerable communities.

Here, Egypt holds an important opportunity to present a differentiated model based on bridging science, policy, development, and society, while linking land restoration with the achievement of food and water security.

Egypt’s consecutive hosting of major Conferences of the Parties in biodiversity, climate change, and desertification reflects a profound shift in its standing within the global environmental diplomacy map.

From COP14 for biodiversity in 2018 to COP27 for climate in 2022, and leading up to the preparations for COP18 to combat desertification in 2028, Egypt continues to forge a path grounded in a fundamental premise: the future of development cannot be separated from the future of the environment.

Sharm El-Sheikh in 2028 may well prove to be more than just a host city for another international conference; it could emerge as a global platform to rethink our relationship with land, water, and food, and to launch a new era of collective action against drought and land degradation.

Ultimately, the most profound message Egypt can convey to the world through COP18 is that restoring the land is not merely an environmental issue, but a direct investment in human futures, community security, and the capacity of future generations to live and prosper.