Accreditation for media is now available for the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The conference will take place from 17 to 28 August 2026 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Journalists are invited to apply for accreditation via Indico.  Please note that Indico is the only platform through which media accreditation and authorization to cover COP17 can be obtained. The UNCCD secretariat does not process accreditation requests submitted via email or post. Any materials sent outside the ORS will not be processed.Please ensure that all documents comply with the specified requirements and that applicant details are consistent throughout the application process. Kindly note that participation is subject to approval and that all registrations must be approved.Please monitor your email regularly for any additional documentation or information requests that may be required to confirm your application. Once your registration has been confirmed, you will receive a Registration Acknowledgement Letter. Information on accreditation requirements, visas, visual materials and access to the visa portal is available here: Media InformationShould you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us via your online registration account or at press@unccd.int.Further details will be made available on the official COP17 website in due course.

In accordance with Decision 5/COP.16, the UNCCD Secretariat is supporting the development of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples Caucus and a Local Communities Caucus under the Convention.As part of this process, the Secretariat has been holding consultations since COP16, including the convening of a series of online consultations with Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Parties to the UNCCD to gather inputs, perspectives and recommendations on the proposed structures, participation modalities and governance approaches of the future caucuses.The consultations aimed to strengthen the effective, meaningful and inclusive participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in UNCCD processes and decision-making, while ensuring that the future caucuses reflect their representativeness, priorities, knowledge systems and governance structures.The Draft Terms of Reference are now available for review:UNCCD Indigenous Peoples CaucusUNCCD Local Communities CaucusParties are invited to submit written comments and feedback by 15 June 2026 to: cso@unccd.intPlease indicate the relevant subject line:“Comments on the draft TOR Indigenous Peoples Caucus”Or “Comments on the draft TOR Local Communities Caucus”The inputs received will help further strengthen the inclusivity, representativeness and collective ownership of the future caucuses under the UNCCD.

By Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary, UNCCD Antalya – Türkiye