
Tai Pelli (or UCTP/ Taíno Delegate) during the closing of the High-level event “Indigenous Peoples for Land” at the UNCCD COP16
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (UCTP Taíno News) - The 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD (COP16) took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2–13 December 2024. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is one of the three conventions known as the “Río Conventions”; the other two being the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Governments sought to undertake a midterm evaluation of the UNCCD 2018−2030 Strategic Framework, adopt the UNCCD’s biennial budget, and negotiate decisions around the sustainable use of land. For the first time in the history of the Convention, Indigenous Peoples were present among the constituencies represented at the meeting. Tai Pelli, a member of the Guainía Taíno Tribe, attended the meeting, officially representing
the United Confederation of Taíno People (UCTP).
Desertification, land degradation, and drought are currently identified among the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. The conference seeks to address these critical issues. The conference attained mixed results, for example, it failed to reach an agreement on a legally binding protocol to address drought, which was a key demand from African countries.
“Very few are aware of the levels of land degradation and drought we are experiencing in our ancestral lands in the Caribbean and the effects from the growing desertification and dust storms that reach the Caribbean and adversely impact the health and livelihoods of our people. Our participation and representation as Taíno Peoples at COP16 was of great importance and will continue to be, as we, along with the delegation, pioneered the Indigenous Peoples Caucus,” stated Pelli.
One positive outcome was that the COP Presidency launched the Riyadh Action Agenda, which aims to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030. The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership also announced $12.15 billion to help vulnerable countries with drought resilience.
Additional outcomes included increasing engagement from civil society at these proceedings. December 7th, 2025, was designated Peoples Day and the Indigenous Peoples Delegation held a High-level event named Indigenous Peoples for Land, where they presented the Sacred Lands Declaration (1) to Convention Officials. UCTP Delegate, Tai Pelli opened and ended the event with a Taíno song, where Indigenous Delegates and other attendees joined in unison.
Unlike the other sister conventions, the UNCCD did not have an official Indigenous Peoples
Caucus. With effective and strategic lobbying by the Indigenous Peoples Delegation and the
support of Member States, the adoption of an Indigenous Peoples Caucus and a separate Local Communities Caucus became a reality, with the two constituency groupings now having separate caucuses to mobilize their engagement. In a historic first at the COP, the Indigenous Peoples Delegation addressed the body on several occasions. UCTP representative Tai Pelli was selected to read the first statement to the Committee on Science and Technology (CST), calling for the equitable inclusion, integration and highlighting the value of Indigenous knowledge, science and technologies to the plenary on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples Delegation.
COP16 was part of the ongoing follow-up for the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD), which is an international treaty that links the environment and
development to sustainable land management. The UNCCD was established in 1994 to “protect and restore land and ensure a more sustainable future”. It's the only legally binding framework that addresses desertification and drought.
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UCTPTN12212024
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