Nairobi, Sept. 6 -- The conference halls in Ulaanbaatar have emptied, delegates have gone home, and UNCCD COP17 is over. For Africa, the real work may only just be beginning.

The next UNCCD COP will take place in Egypt in 2028, bringing the global conversation on land degradation, drought and restoration to the continent. Africa shou ld therefore not wait until delegates begin booking flights to Cairo. The two years between Mongolia and Egypt should be used to turn the promises made at COP17 into projects, investments and measurable results.

Ulaanbaatar was billed as a COP of implementation, and there were important signs of progress. Governments, development banks, funds and companies announced a $1.3 billion investment portfolio for l...