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Shukran, Mr President. Asa-lamu Alykum. Excellencies, we stand here at a critical moment. Our planet’s health is at stake and the urgency is undeniable. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥, stands with those who face the impacts of our environmental crises. Local communities who are increasingly affected by desertification and drought. Families who see no option but to migrate in search for livelihoods. Women and girls who walk for hours in search of firewood and water.ÌýÌý

Desertification is still on the rise, biodiversity loss continues at an alarming rate, and the effects of climate change are undeniable all over the world. Yet we know that healthy ecosystems make all the difference, and that Nature-based Solutions and community-driven land management schemes can help pave the way to a sustainable future. This means putting people and biodiversity first.ÌýÌý

We need to strengthen enabling policies and increase investments for the restoration of rangelands, grasslands, and agricultural lands to deliver benefits for climate, biodiversity and people. We must also emphasise the link between land health and water, underscoring how sustainable water resources management is essential to drought management and combating desertification.ÌýÌý

Land restoration can only be achieved with the effective involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Our approaches need to be rights-based, inclusive, and gender-responsive, so that we promote the participation of indigenous peoples, local communities, women and youth, in decision-making related to land restoration and watershed management. Ìý

Mr. President - current responses to drought and desertification often rely on reactive, crisis-driven approaches that foster dependency instead of resilience. A paradigm shift is urgently needed. The establishment of a Global Framework on Drought Resilience to promote proactive, nature-based drought risk management - that aligns with the principles of Nature-based Solutions - would be a crucial step to a more forward-looking approach to managing drought.ÌýÌý

Let us leave Riyadh with a bold commitment: to place nature at the center of solutions, fostering resilience and hope. Together, we can scale-up action to combat desertification and build a sustainable future for all.Ìý

I Thank you, Mr President. (Shukran)ÌýÌý

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