Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. B. Munkhjin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, held an online meeting with Ibrahim Thiaw, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), on October 8 to exchange views on cooperation in protecting environment and combating desertification.  

Deputy Minister B. Munkhjin emphasized that since its ratification of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Mongolia has been actively working to reduce desertification and to achieve the land-degradation-neutral. Noting the importance of planting trees to reduce desertification, the Deputy introduced the Mongolian President’s initiative ‘One billion trees’. The Deputy Minister also emphasized that the initiative aims to reduce the impact of climate change, combat land degradation and desertification, protect forests and water resources, and ensure ecological balance and it will be a valuable contribution to the implementation of national goal of zero land degradation. 

For his part, Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw expressed support for Mongolia's policies and activities in the fight against climate change and desertification, and said his hope that the Mongolian President's initiative to plant one billion trees would be important contribution to mitigate the impact of climate change and combat land degradation and desertification.