Civil Society Coalition Calls on States to Treat Land Restoration as a Tool for Peace at UNCCD COP17

CSO-led Declaration on Land, Peace and Security, backed by more than 480 organisations from 80+ countries, launched in Ulaanbaatar under the message "Restoring Land, Investing in People, Building Peace"

[Ulaanbaatar], [Mongolia] — [20 August 2026]

Civil society organisations from around the world are calling on States meeting at the seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to treat the restoration of degraded land as a practical tool for preventing conflict and building peace. The call is carried by a Declaration on Land, Peace and Security, led by Surge Africa, a Nigeria-based NGO, and backed by more than 480 civil society organisations from over 80 countries, which was formally launched at an official side event on 20 August under the message: "Restoring Land, Investing in People, Building Peace."

When land is degraded by drought, water scarcity or climate change, it makes existing problems worse, deepening poverty, pushing people to leave their homes, and fuelling tension over scarce resources. This is especially acute in countries already affected by conflict or fragile governance. The Declaration argues the reverse is also true: restoring land and managing it fairly can ease those tensions, support livelihoods, and lay the groundwork for lasting peace

While civil society organisations say these interactions are increasingly visible on the ground, they remain largely under-recognised in international and national policy. The Declaration positions land restoration as a tool for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and calls on States to treat the land-peace nexus as a policy priority, not a secondary concern.

“The Declaration is a global call to courage, a reminder that restoring land is restoring dignity, stability, and the foundations of peace. My hope is that it becomes a catalyst for international action: shifting policies, strengthening partnerships, and empowering communities whose leadership is essential to a more peaceful and resilient world", said Nasreen Al-Amin, Director of Surge Africa.

The Declaration asks governments to act on four fronts across governance, finance, partnership and monitoring, calling them upon to: 

• Put communities at the heart of land governance by ensuring fair access to land and resources, strengthening dialogue, and supporting local solutions that build resilience and peace.

• Invest in land restoration and drought preparedness as investments in human security, ensuring finance reaches communities and strengthens livelihoods, resilience and stability.

• Intensify cooperation across borders, share knowledge and technology, and bring governments, communities, civil society and the private sector together to manage land and natural resources peacefully.

• Strengthen conflict-sensitive monitoring, early warning and data systems, involve communities in tracking progress, and build local capacity to ensure restoration strengthens resilience, trust and social cohesion.

“The Declaration marked the first step of a CSO‑driven effort. Ahead lies the task of converting our evidence and shared commitments into policy decisions and operational action at all levels, from local to global context. We call on all organisations and States, that endorsed or not, to join us in shaping these next steps at UNCCD and beyond",  said Nasreen Al-Amin - Director, Surge Africa

The Declaration’s text and the current list of endorsing organisations are available on our dedicated website page.