Mongolia and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) are preparing to launch a regional initiative to combat sand and dust storms during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sandag-Ochir Tsend met with Ganbold Baasanjav, Director of the East and North-East Asia Office of UNESCAP, to discuss cooperation during COP17.

The UNESCAP, in cooperation with the Government of Mongolia and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, is preparing to launch a regional initiative to combat sand and dust storms during COP17.

Last year, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the coming decade as the International Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms. As part of this effort, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, who co-chairs the UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms, is expected to formally launch the regional initiative during her visit to Mongolia for COP17.

During the meeting, Director of National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring Battulga Erkhembayar briefed participants on ongoing efforts and exchanged views on future cooperation. The parties said cooperation is expected to strengthen in expanding monitoring stations, improving assessment and modeling, enhancing technical collaboration, and training professional personnel.

The UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms brings together more than 20 UN agencies and specialized organizations to support countries most affected by sand and dust storms and to strengthen international cooperation on the issue.

By Unurzul.M

Published Date:2026-07-31