The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling article 19 of the Convention,
Also recalling decisions 3/COP.8, 1/COP.9, 1/COP.10, 1/COP.11, 3/COP.12, 13/COP.12, 7/COP.13 and 8/COP.13, Restating the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and being cognizant of the importance of capacity-building in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,
Reaffirming that capacity-building at all levels, in particular at the local and community level, is essential for the effective implementation of the Convention, Having considered document ICCD/CRIC(18)/8 and the conclusions and recommendations contained therein,
Welcoming the efforts made by Convention institutions and bodies, country Parties and other stakeholders in support of the enhancement, strengthening and promotion of capacity-building to further the implementation of the Convention and achieve land degradation neutrality, and recognizing the need to continue to enhance and increase efforts in this regard,
1. Requests the secretariat, within available resources, to:
(a) Continue targeted capacity-building to support gender responsive and transformative implementation of the Convention, and to further strengthen and deepen both formal and informal partnerships to better facilitate the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification capacity-building process;
(b) Work with partners, including the relevant media networks, to facilitate the development of suitable training materials for journalists as well as the identification and/or provision of the trainers;
2. Also requests the secretariat, the Global Mechanism and other appropriate United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification institutions and bodies, including the SciencePolicy Interface, acting within their respective mandates, subject to the availability of resources, to:
(a) Continue supporting capacity-building efforts, in collaboration with relevant partners, to facilitate the achievement of land degradation neutrality, with particular focus on land degradation neutrality monitoring and the effective development of land degradation neutrality transformative projects and programmes;
(b) Foster collaboration on drought impact mitigation capacity-building activities by building on existing partnerships with, but not limited to, the World Meteorological Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the National Drought Mitigation Center, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and United Nations Water, and establishing new partnerships;
(c) Conduct online as well as face-to-face United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Drought Toolbox training sessions;
3. Urges Parties, as appropriate, to use the online Drought Toolbox to strengthen their capacity to enhance preparedness for and provide an appropriate response to drought;
4. Encourages Parties, as appropriate, and in particular affected developing country Parties, to develop and implement specific capacity-building programmes to facilitate a more efficacious implementation of the Convention, in particular on the themes of:
(a) Gender sensitive and transformative approaches, especially, but not limited to, land degradation neutrality;
(b) Potential economic, social and environmental development opportunities provided by the implementation of the Convention and the achievement of land degradation neutrality;
(c) Drought preparedness;
(d) Resilience to sand and dust storms; 5. Invites technical and financial institutions and other stakeholders to provide technical and financial support to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification-accredited civil society organizations which are involved in and/or need capacity-building to facilitate their greater and more effective contribution to and participation in the implementation process;
6. Also invites developed country Parties and others in a position to do so, and technical and financial institutions to continue to provide technical and financial support for effective and targeted capacity development in support of the implementation of the Convention;
7. Requests the secretariat to report on the implementation of this decision at its future sessions of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention.
