Nigerian Journalist Selected for UNCCD COP17 Media Fellowship in Mongolia

A journalist from Nigeria's leading investigative newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, has been chosen as one of six reporters worldwide for the UNCCD COP17 Media Reporting Fellowship.

Abdulkareem Mojeed, who works on the newspaper’s Business and Economy Desk, is the only Nigerian selected for this fellowship. It will help cover the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UNCCD in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The other journalists picked are Eric Kasina from Business Daily Africa in Kenya, Shagun Kapil from Down To Earth in India, Ángeles Lucas from El País in Spain, Rafael Cardoso from Agência Brasil in Brazil, and Gonzalo Ortuño from Mongabay Latam in Mexico.

In an email to Mojeed, the UNCCD announced his selection and mentioned that many journalists and media organizations applied from different regions and languages.

"Congratulations. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the UNCCD COP17 Media Reporting Fellowship," the UNCCD said.

The UNCCD noted that Mr. Mojeed’s application “stood out for the quality of your reporting track record, the strength of your proposed coverage, and your demonstrated commitment to reporting on the interconnected challenges of land, drought and their impact on communities around the world.”

COP17 in Mongolia

The UNCCD COP17 Media Reporting Fellowship is a fully funded program for journalists to cover the UNCCD’s 17th Conference of the Parties in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The United Nations says COP17 will bring together delegates from 197 Parties, along with government, business, civil society leaders, scientists, young people, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, and smallholder farmers.

Participants will discuss solutions to the challenges of desertification, land degradation, and drought. They will focus on how restoring land can help reduce instability, prevent displacement, and strengthen human and national security in vulnerable areas.

The UNCCD believes COP17 is a key chance for countries and partners to boost efforts and attract more investment in drought resilience and sustainable land management.

During the two-week conference, participants will engage in ministerial dialogues, multistakeholder forums, and discussions on science-policy integration, innovation, tools and technologies, and financing.

Besides the formal talks, COP17 aims to encourage joint action on rangelands, resilience and water, as well as food systems and soil health.

After learning about his selection, Mojeed called the fellowship an opportunity to shine a light on the issues facing rangelands and grazing routes in Nigeria and across Africa.

"I am truly humbled to have been chosen for this esteemed fellowship. It is a recognition of the exceptional and impactful journalism we uphold at PREMIUM TIMES.

"I see my selection as a unique opportunity to highlight important stories that will inform the public about how land degradation, drought, and desertification affect the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians, Africans, and beyond. These issues have broader significance when addressed properly.

"I deeply appreciate this recognition and view it as a collective achievement for the entire PT family," he said.