As economies across Greater Central Asia face growing pressures from climate change, land degradation, desertification, biodiversity loss and increasing forest fire risks, regional cooperation is becoming increasingly important to strengthen ecological resilience and advance sustainable land management.

Against this backdrop, the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet) and the National Forest Agency of Mongolia will jointly organize a side event during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), under the theme “Regional Cooperation for Forest Rehabilitation and Restoration: Accelerating Action against Desertification in Greater Central Asia.”

The event will take place on 24 August 2026, from 09:30 to 11:00, at Pavilion No. A7 in the Green Zone of the UNCCD COP17 Venue in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The Greater Central Asia region faces interconnected challenges that extend beyond national boundaries, affecting ecological stability, livelihoods and sustainable development. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated regional responses and stronger mechanisms for cooperation.

Over the years, APFNet has facilitated regional collaboration through the Greater Central Asia Forestry Cooperation Mechanism, ministerial dialogues, technical exchanges, demonstration projects and capacity-building programmes. These efforts have supported cooperation in areas including sustainable forest management, forest and landscape restoration, forest fire management and knowledge sharing among participating economies.

As economies accelerate efforts towards Land Degradation Neutrality and other global restoration commitments, the side event will provide a platform to review progress, exchange experiences and explore opportunities for strengthened regional cooperation in forest rehabilitation and combating desertification.

Sharing experiences and advancing regional action

The 90-minute programme will bring together perspectives from APFNet and the National Forest Agency of Mongolia, with presentations focusing on the progress and future direction of the Greater Central Asia Forestry Cooperation Mechanism, regional experiences in forest rehabilitation and landscape restoration, and approaches to strengthening forest resilience in Mongolia.

The programme will also highlight the role of research and projects in accelerating regional practices for restoration and desertification control. An audience dialogue and Q&A session will provide an opportunity for participants to exchange views on emerging challenges, practical experiences and future cooperation priorities.

Key areas of discussion will include:

· Regional cooperation mechanisms for forest and landscape restoration;

· Policy innovations for combating desertification and land degradation;

· Forest fire prevention, monitoring and resilience-building;

· Restoration of degraded forest landscapes in arid and semi-arid ecosystems; and

· Future priorities for forestry cooperation in Greater Central Asia.

Looking towards stronger regional cooperation

The side event aims to enhance the visibility of the Greater Central Asia Forestry Cooperation Mechanism, facilitate the sharing of experiences and best practices, and strengthen partnerships among participating economies and organizations.

It will also provide an opportunity to identify priority areas for future regional collaboration and explore pathways to support restoration and sustainable land management across Greater Central Asia.

By bringing together policymakers, forestry practitioners, experts and development partners, the event will contribute to broader discussions at COP17 on addressing desertification and land degradation and advancing practical, collaborative approaches to forest rehabilitation and landscape restoration across the region.

Event at a glance

· Theme: Regional Cooperation for Forest Rehabilitation and Restoration: Accelerating Action against Desertification in Greater Central Asia

· Date: 24 August 2026

· Time: 09:30–11:00

· Venue: Pavilion No. 07, Green Zone, UNCCD COP17 Venue, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

· Organizers: APFNet and the National Forest Agency of Mongolia