Empowering land negotiators for a fairer future

授权土地谈判者以实现更公平的未来

How training is helping countries speak with confidence in global land talks

全球土地谈判自信聊培训如何帮助各国

International negotiations on land degradation and drought are becoming increasingly complex — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Yet many of the people expected to speak on behalf of their countries in these spaces often find themselves underprepared. This is especially true for delegates from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where limited access to training and funding has left gaps in negotiation capacity.

土地退化和土地干旱的国际谈判正在变得越来越复杂，且利害攸关。然而，许多国家的代表往往发现自己准备不充分。对于最不发达国家(LDCs)和小岛屿发展中国家(SIDS)的代表来说尤其如此，他们只有有限的培训和有限的资金，致使谈判能力出现缺口。

The UNCCD recognized this challenge early on. While political will and technical knowledge existed in many countries, the ability to navigate the rules, procedures and pressures of global negotiations often did not. What was needed was not just information — but preparation.

《荒漠化公约》早就意识到了这一挑战。许多国家有政治意愿和技术知识，但缺乏驾驭关于全球谈判的规则，程序以及压力的能力。因为不仅需要信息，还需要准备。

Investing in skills, not just policies

不只是投资于政治策略，还要投资于谈判技巧。

That’s where the Changwon Initiative came in. Launched in 2011 by the Korea Forest Service, the Initiative has provided long-term support to help countries strengthen land governance and combat desertification. One of its most impactful contributions has been to fund and support negotiation training for National Focal Points (NFPs) — the people tasked with representing their countries at UNCCD meetings.

这就是昌原倡议的由来。昌原倡议由韩国林务局于2011年发起，为帮助各国加强土地治理和防治荒漠化提供了长期支持。它最有影响力的贡献之一，是资助和支持国家联络点的谈判培训。国家联络点的任务是代表他们的国家出席《荒漠化公约》会议。

Enabled by the Changwon Initiative, the UNCCD Secretariat developed and delivered a comprehensive training programme focused specifically on negotiation skills. It combined regional workshops — held in cities like Nairobi, Marrakesh, Istanbul and Seoul — with digital learning tools, multilingual resources and interactive simulations. The goal was simple: to ensure that all countries, regardless of size or income, could participate meaningfully in global land negotiations.

在昌原倡议的推动下，《荒漠化公约》秘书处制定并提供了一个专门侧重于谈判技巧的综合培训方案。综合培训方案结合了在内罗毕、马拉喀什、伊斯坦布尔和首尔等城市举办的关于数字学习工具、多语言资源和互动模拟的区域研讨会。目标很简单：无论国家大小或国家收入水平，确保所有国家都能意义非凡地参与全球土地谈判。

[ quote from a participant here — ideally from a SIDS or LDC country, describing how the training helped them feel more confident or better equipped in negotiations.]

[引用一位与会者的话，“最好是来自小岛屿发展中国家或最不发达国家，来描述培训如何帮助他们更有信心或更有能力进行谈判。]

From practice to real-world impact

从实践到现实世界的影响

More than 100 participants took part in the training, including 51 whose participation was directly supported by the Changwon Initiative. The impact was visible. Delegates not only gained negotiation and diplomacy skills but also put them into practice during real-world events — notably at the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC21), held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 13 to 17 November 2023, where many demonstrated greater confidence and strategic engagement.

培训有超过100名参与者，其中51人得到了昌原倡议的直接支持。培训影响显而易见。各国代表们不仅获得了谈判和外交技能，还可以在现实场合中付诸实践。特别是在2023年11月13日至17日在乌兹别克斯坦撒马尔罕举行的《公约》执行情况审评委员会(CRIC21)第二十一届会议上，许多国家代表展现出了更大的信心，加强了战略参与感。

The ripple effects went beyond individual delegates. In several countries, the training helped improve internal coordination between ministries, sharpen national strategies and align land policies more closely with UNCCD goals.

连锁反应不仅存在于个人代表当中。在一些国家，培训助力于改善各部之间的内部协调，助力于加强国家战略，助力于土地政策与《荒漠化公约》的目标更加紧密结合。

Reaching further with digital tools

借助数字工具进一步延申

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person meetings, the training was adapted. The Secretariat launched a series of e-learning modules in multiple languages, helping delegates continue building their skills remotely. This blended model — combining face-to-face interaction with flexible online access — has since become a core part of the training approach, offering broader and more equitable access across regions.

当新冠肺炎疫情无法进行面对面的会议时，培训进行了调整。秘书处便推出了一系列多语言的电子学习模块，帮助各国代表们通过远程的方式，继续培养技能。将面对面沟通与灵活的在线访问相结合的混合模式，已成为培训方法的核心部分，由此在各地区提供更为广泛、更为公平的培训方式。

What we learned — and what comes next

我们学到了什么？接下来会发生什么？

One of the clearest lessons from this initiative is that negotiation is not a one-time skill — it needs to be practiced and reinforced. For many countries, especially those with smaller delegations, sustained investment in capacity building is just as important as technical support.

从这一举措中得到的最明显的教训之一是，谈判需要练习和加强，绝非一次性的技能。对许多国家，特别是规模较小的国家代表团来说，持续投资能力建设与技术支持同样重要。

As UNCCD moves toward future negotiations — including the upcoming COP17 in Mongolia — the Secretariat is exploring ways to expand and deepen these training efforts. Regional platforms, hybrid formats and follow-up coaching could help ensure that the progress made so far doesn’t stop with a single workshop.

随着《荒漠化公约》走向未来的谈判，包括即将在蒙古国举行的第十七届缔约方会议，秘书处正在探索关于扩大和深化培训工作的方法。区域平台、混合形式和后续辅导有助于确保迄今为止取得的进展不会止步于一次研讨会。

Stronger voices for a shared future

为了共同未来发出更大声的呼吁

Negotiation isn’t just about talking — it’s about being heard, understood and taken seriously in the decisions that matter most. By investing in people, not just policies, the UNCCD and the Changwon Initiative are helping level the playing field in global land governance. And in doing so, they’re making it more likely that the solutions we agree on will reflect the voices and realities of all countries — including those that are too often left out.

谈判不仅仅是谈论，还是在最重要的决策中被倾听、理解和认真对待。通过投资于人，而不仅仅是政策，《荒漠化公约》和昌原倡议正在为全球土地治理创造公平的竞争环境，使我们商定的解决方案反映出所有国家的声音和现实，包括那些常常被忽视的国家的声音和现实。