The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024, under the theme Our Land. Our Future. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, COP16 will be the largest UN land conference to date and the first UNCCD COP hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region—a region that has experienced first-hand the impacts of desertification, land degradation, and drought. COP16 is set to be a landmark event, reflecting a renewed global commitment to accelerating investment and action to restore land and enhance drought resilience, benefiting both people and the planet.
Building on the success of the Youth Forums organized at COP13, COP14, and COP15, the fourth UNCCD Youth Forum will take place from the 5 to 7 of December 2024. This forum will address the challenges youth face in accessing decent land-based jobs, support their meaningful engagement in the implementation of the UNCCD, and advocate for the necessary enabling environment and policies to promote the establishment of young eco- and agripreneurs. Additionally, it will ensure that young people are actively involved in the decision-making process
Application Deadline:Â 14th October, 2024
Eligibility Criteria:
Youth Organisations are requested to nominate members on basis of the following criteria;
- The nominated youth should be between the age of 18 to 35 years
- You can nominate one person from any of the following regions (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe and others)
- The nominee should be registered for the UNCCD COP16
Benefits
- The Open Call aims to provide partial to full funding for young people from diverse regions around the world. Due to the limited availability of funds, we encourage applicants to cover part of their costs, which will increase their chances of receiving financial support.
- Travel and Accommodation fund: The UNCCD secretariat will provide funds to cover flights, accommodation and daily subsistence allowance (DSA) for participants attending the Youth Forum (5 to 7 December 2024) and other events during COP16, which will take place from 2 to 13 December 2024. Delegates wii be required to arrive at Riyadh by 03rd or 04th Dec, 2024; the date of departure is up to your preference between the dates of 13th December to 14th December, 2024. Final confirmation will depend on the availability of funds.
- Accommodation Fund (Accommodation Only): The UNCCD secretariat will provide funds to cover daily subsistence allowance (DSA) for participants attending the Youth Forum (5 to 7 December 2024) and other events during COP16, which will take place from 2 to 13 December 2024.
- Travel Fund (Flight Tickets Only):Â This fund covers travel exclusively for attending the Youth Forum and COP16. You are expected to arrive in Riyadh on 3 or 4 December 2024, with departure at your discretion between 13 and 14 December 2024.
