The Riyadh Action Agenda is a multi-stakeholder platform established under the leadership of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has provided the political stewardship for the initiative during its presidency. 

The Riyadh Action Agenda is implemented by a voluntary multi-stakeholder community of governments, businesses, financial institutions, cities, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, researchers, NGOs, and civil society – coordinated by the RAA Delivery Team.

Mandated by the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, Ambition Loop has overseen the Riyadh Action Agenda’s coordination, including leading day-to-day management, community engagement and convening, platform design and development, and all external outputs under the RAA – including the Land & Soil Breakthroughs.

The Riyadh Action Agenda complements but is distinct from the formal UNCCD negotiations. 

It is a voluntary multi-stakeholder platform through which interested public, private and community actors can contribute to the UNCCD’s goals and objectives, thus serving as an implementation and mobilization platform rather than as part of the formal decision-making process.

It contributes by fostering partnerships, mobilizing finance, encouraging voluntary commitments, sharing knowledge, and tracking implementation progress, complementing—but not replacing—the UNCCD's intergovernmental negotiations and official reporting mechanisms.

All data captured in the RAA Community Platform is voluntarily self-reported by initiatives via a standardized Google Form, linked from the “Join with my initiative” button. Submissions enter the central registry and undergo a review regarding the initiatives alignment to the Agenda and a posterior curation process before being released to the platform.

At this point, the Platform does not independently verify reported figures or claims. Additional information can be found in the Community Snapshot tab (About this snapshot) in the RAA Community Platform.

Joining the Riyadh Action Agenda is a simple two-step process: 

1. Confirm your initiative aligns with the RAA's objectives. The RAA welcomes organizations whose work contributes to measurable progress on restoring degraded land; improving drought and water resilience; protecting land and inland waters; mobilizing finance for land restoration; and supporting practical, scalable land solutions across sectors. 

2. Fill the form linked in the “Join my initiative” button throughout this website. 

Upon receiving your data, the RAA Delivery Team will get in touch to confirm your inclusion in the platform and request your final approval. To learn more about alignment criteria and how to join the community, go here.