Nigeria, Aug. 19 -- Today, delegates from 196 countries and the European Union have convened in Mongolia for the opening of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), with governments and other stakeholders expected to confront some of the world's most pressing land, drought and food security challenges.

The two-week conference, billed for 17 to 28 August in Ulaanbaatar, comes at a time when land degradation, water scarcity and drought are imposing growing economic and social costs globally.

About 60 delegates from Nigeria will be participating in this year's conference and negotiations. Nigeria, alongside other African countries, seeks to advance a legally binding instru...