Second UN Dialogue Strengthens Regional Collaboration on Sand and Dust Storms

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 20–21 May 2025

As the frequency and severity of sand and dust storms (SDS) continue to rise across the region, the need for coordinated regional and interregional action has never been more urgent. Building on the success of the first dialogue in Doha, ESCAP’s Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM) and ESCWA’s Arab Centre for Climate Change Policies (ACCCP), and in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and with the support from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), organized and convened the second interregional dialogue on combating SDS from 20–21 May 2025 in Abu Dhabi.

The dialogue gathered national focal points and experts from ESCAP and ESCWA member States, including representatives from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates. International experts and members from the UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms also contributed to the discussions.

This second meeting in the series focused on developing concrete and practical solutions and identifying shared regional priorities to tackle sand and dust storms in a transboundary context. It built on key outcomes from the first dialogue held in Doha in February 2025, where countries exchanged national experiences and outlined areas for stronger collaboration. 

On the first day, in her opening remarks, Ms. Letizia Rossani, Director of APDIM, emphasized the importance of regional partnerships and called the series of dialogues a platform to transform knowledge into action. Ms. Carol Chouchani Cherfane, Director of ACCCP stressed that shared knowledge, regional consensus, and bold collaboration are essential to building real resilience against the impacts of sand and dust storms. Mr. Stefan Söderberg, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden in Abu Dhabi, reaffirmed Sweden’s support for regional cooperation on climate resilience noted the dialogue’s importance as a platform for joint action.

Day one of the dialogue focused on strengthening the science base for SDS response. Moderated by Mr. Mostafa Mohaghegh of ESCAP, the opening session set the stage for in-depth discussions around the objectives of the dialogue and the urgent need for regional collaboration. A preliminary rapid assessment of SDS in Western Asia, presented by Dr. Nick Middleton, Lecturer at Oxford University, provided a foundation for discussion. Additional technical insights were shared by Ms. Sara Basart from the World Meteorological Organization, Ms. Marlene Tomaszkiewicz from ESCWA, and Dr. Ali Al Dousari from the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.

In the afternoon, participants revisited the country and regional priorities identified during the first dialogue in Doha. They explored challenges and opportunities in financing, shared experiences with reverse knowledge and technical cooperation, and discussed lessons learned from project implementation. Presentations were delivered by Mr. Amgad Elmahdi from the Green Climate Fund, Mr. Daouda Ben Oumar Ndiaye from the Islamic Development Bank (online), Mr. Feras Ziadat from FAO, and Mr. Dorji Tshewang from the Global Environment Facility (online).

Day two of the dialogue focused on translating shared ideas into action. Participants began by exploring the fundamentals of designing effective initiatives and programmes, followed by an interactive exercise to gather collective input. Discussions then turned to shaping the structure of a draft regional initiative, with a detailed review of its three main pillars: building a common knowledge base, creating expert networks for information exchange, and identifying joint or multi-country actions. Each session focused on refining programmatic content and assessing technical assistance and capacity-building needs. Participants also discussed how the regional initiative could align with upcoming global and regional meetings on sand and dust storms. The day concluded with a forward-looking discussion on next steps, reaffirming the shared commitment to deepen cooperation and advance regional resilience under the UN Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.

The meeting concluded with consensus on next steps and preparations for the third interregional dialogue, to be held 7–8 October 2025 in Beirut, Lebanon.

The two-day Abu Dhabi dialogue, just like the previous one, marked another milestone in building a united response to one of the most pressing transboundary environmental hazards of our time. With stronger regional links and shared understanding, countries are moving closer to practical, science-based collaboration under the umbrella of the UN Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.