From Mongolia to Egypt, Africa must turn COP promises into action

The conference halls in Ulaanbaatar have emptied, delegates have gone home, and UNCCD COP17 is over. For Africa, the real work may only just be beginning. The next UNCCD COP will take place in Egypt in 2028, bringing the global conversation on land degradation, drought and restoration to the continent. Africa shou ld therefore not wait until delegates begin booking flights to Cairo. The two years between Mongolia and Egypt should be used to turn the promises made at COP17 into projects, investments and measurable results. Ulaanbaatar was billed as a COP of implementation, and there were important signs of progress. Governments, development banks, funds and companies announced a $1.3 billion investment portfolio for land restoration and drought resilience across 23 countries. Of this, $644.5 mil-lion was identified as new finance, while $216.4 million has already been confirmed and is moving towards implementation. Rangelands also moved from the margins to the centre of the global agenda. The Rangelands Flagship Initiative launched a $1.2 billion portfolio spanning 45 projects, the largest mobilisation for rangelands in the Convention's history. This should matter greatly to Kenya and other African countries, where pastoralism, livestock and drylands remain central to livelihoods and national economies. COP17 also put Indigenous Peoples and local communities at the centre of land restoration. Their call for stronger land rights, direct access to finance and meaningful participation is critical for Africa, where millions depend on land and natural resources. Their traditional knowledge of managing land must be recognised as part of the solution, not treated as an afterthought. One of the most important developments was on drought. The International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) introduced the world's first Drought Resilience Index, giving countries a tool to assess their ability to anticipate, prepare for and adapt to drought. The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership also moved closer to operational delivery, while the new Drought Resilience Investment Facility aims to mobilise up to US$400 million in public and private capital. For Kenya, where drought repeatedly destroys livestock, disrupts agriculture and pushes up food prices, the question is whether such global tools and financing mechanisms will translate into better preparedness before the next crisis arrives. Africa's challenge is not a shortage of conferences or commitments; it is turning commitments into bankable projects that can attract finance and reach communities.