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The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by IUCN and the Government of Mongolia, will enhance cooperation between the Parties on biodiversity conservation, rangeland restoration, and sustainable land management. The agreement was signed during the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) at the Mongolia Pavilion by IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar and H.E. Batbaatar Bat, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia.

This MoU provides a general and guiding framework for cooperation between the Parties, defining areas and forms of collaboration with the aim of strengthening Mongolia’s leadership in conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and enhancing IUCN’s contribution to Mongolia’s national and international environmental goals. It achieves this by establishing a foundation for cooperation on restoration opportunities mapping, capacity-building, multi-stakeholder dialogues, and joint advocacy for integrated approaches to land, biodiversity, and climate action.

The MoU comes as Mongolia prepares to assume the Presidency of UNCCD COP17 in 2026, where rangelands, drought resilience, and integrated land management will be at the top of the global agenda. The agreement with IUCN sets a framework for collaboration, while also promoting synergies with IUCN tools as well as biodiversity and climate commitments under the Rio Conventions.

UNCCD COP17 is set to take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in late 2026. This major global convening will bring together UNCCD’s 197 Parties in a crucial global forum to accelerate action against desertification, land degradation and drought. As one of the most affected countries by desertification, with nearly 77 percent of its land degraded, Mongolia will leverage COP17 to drive solutions for land restoration, sustainable land management and resilience-building across the world.  

COP17, set during the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) — declared by the United Nations General Assembly and championed by Mongolia — will build on efforts to promote the sustainable management, restoration and conservation of rangelands.

Upon the signing of the MoU, Dr. Grethel Aguilar, the Director General of IUCN, said: “IUCN is proud to strengthen its partnership with Mongolia at this historic moment. Mongolia’s leadership on rangeland restoration, Nature-based Solutions, and sustainable dryland management is exemplary and provides inspiration for the global community. This agreement ensures that IUCN can bring its scientific expertise, policy experience, and broad membership to support Mongolia’s priorities during COP17 and beyond.” 

H.E. Batbaatar Bat, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia, similarly reflected on the significance of the signing: “This MoU reflects Mongolia’s deep commitment to safeguarding our rangelands, strengthening community livelihoods, and promoting international cooperation on nature and climate. By working closely with IUCN, we can advance our flagship initiatives and ensure that COP17 delivers bold, practical solutions for the challenges of desertification, drought, and biodiversity loss.”

Mongolia joined IUCN as a State Member in 2015 and has since engaged in joint efforts on protected and conserved areas, ecosystem restoration, drylands management, and global environmental governance. This MoU represents further strengthening of the relationship between IUCN and Mongolia, as well as a deepened commitment by both Parties to advance conservation in East Asia for the benefit of both people and nature.