China and Arab States Unite Against Desertification

China and Arab nations have established a significant five-year action plan to jointly address drought, desertification, and land degradation. This collaborative effort emphasizes enhanced cooperation through joint research initiatives, the sharing of advanced technologies, and robust capacity-building programs.

The plan was officially released on Saturday during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The administration highlighted that the agreement will boost practical cooperation in vital areas.

These areas include the restoration of degraded and desertified lands, effective sand and dust storm monitoring and early warning systems, and the sustainable use of grasslands. Furthermore, efforts will concentrate on biodiversity conservation and the protection and restoration of vital wetland ecosystems.

The initiative will also strengthen the China-Arab desertification-control network, refining mechanisms for exchanging policies, technologies, and research findings. Partnerships under the Belt and Road Initiative are set to expand, encouraging broad participation from governments, research bodies, businesses, and local communities.

Technological advancements are central, with shared platforms for data, research, and technologies planned. Interdisciplinary joint research and the promotion of tools like remote-sensing monitoring for land degradation are key components. The goal is to establish demonstration bases to support the UN convention's implementation.

Capacity-building will expand through youth exchanges, joint research, field demonstrations, and technical training sessions. The meeting was a collaborative effort between China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Secretariat of the League of Arab States, organized by the Chinese Academy of Forestry and the China-Arab States International Research Center. This research center, inaugurated in August 2023, stems from the first China-Arab States Summit in 2022.