Reporter’s Diary: Reporting COP17 from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The reporter has arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to cover the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This assignment marks the reporter's first experience covering a UNCCD COP, although they have previously attended several UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conferences.

The journey involved a lengthy flight from Abuja to Istanbul, followed by a connection to Ulaanbaatar. The reporter expresses excitement about the opportunity and looks forward to engaging with the conference proceedings and experts for their reporting.

The UNCCD COP is highlighted as one of the three Rio Conventions, alongside the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP and the UNFCCC COP. Both UNCCD and CBD COPs are held biennially, while the UNFCCC COP occurs annually. Notably, all three conventions are being hosted in different countries this year.

The article mentions that the conference's Blue Zone registered approximately 10,000 participants, with the Green Zone reportedly hosting over 15,000. Readers are encouraged to follow PREMIUM TIMES for updates on the discussions in Mongolia, particularly regarding the positions of Nigeria and other African nations at the negotiation table. The reporter also shares practical information, including the Mongolian currency, the tugrik (MNT), and a local phrase for "Thank you very much" (Mash ikh bayarlalaa).