Day 3 of COP31 | Wednesday, 11 November 2026

Today marked the third day of COP31 and the first day of the High-Level Segment, which brought together Heads of State and Government from around the world to advance discussions on global climate action and sustainable development.

I officially commenced my duties and engagements at COP31 with a visit to the Liberia Pavilion, where I participated in discussions and interacted with stakeholders representing government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and other climate actors. These engagements provided valuable insights into Liberia’s climate priorities, ongoing initiatives, and opportunities for collaboration under the COP31 agenda.

One of the highlights of the day was my participation in a discussion at the Africa Pavilion on “Bioinputs for Food Security and Economic Resilience.” The session featured a global initiative advocating for a fundamental rethinking of current fertilizer systems. Rather than focusing solely on increasing fertilizer access or replacing one fertilizer product with another, the initiative promotes the development of resilient nutrient systems that strengthen agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience.

The discussion emphasized the importance of increasing investments in bioinputs as a pathway to improving food systems, restoring soil health, enhancing farmer livelihoods, and building resilient agricultural economies. This discussion was particularly relevant to me given the Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment component of the Governance and Climate Livelihood Improvement Program (GCLIP), which seeks to promote sustainable agricultural practices and strengthen climate resilience within rural communities.

In addition to these engagements, I visited several other national and thematic pavilions, where I interacted with participants from diverse organizations and institutions. These visits provided opportunities to learn about emerging climate solutions, explore innovative practices, and establish contacts that may support future partnerships and collaboration.

As the day’s activities concluded, I retired after a productive first day of official engagements, having gained valuable insights into climate-smart agriculture, food system transformation, and broader climate resilience initiatives that align with Liberia’s development aspirations and programmatic priorities.

Key Highlights

• Officially commenced COP31 duties and engagements.
• Participated in discussions at the Liberia Pavilion.
• Attended the Africa Pavilion session on Bioinputs for Food Security and Economic Resilience.
• Learned about global advocacy efforts promoting resilient nutrient systems and increased investment in bioinputs.
• Identified strong linkages between the discussion outcomes and the Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment component of GCLIP.
• Conducted networking and knowledge-sharing engagements across multiple pavilions and stakeholder groups.

Prepared by:
Andrew Y. Y. Zelemen
COP31 Delegate
11 November 2026