DUBAI: In a significant step towards combating the pressing challenges of drought, desertification, and land degradation, government representatives from China and various Arab countries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish an international research center. The collaborative initiative aims to address these environmental issues through joint efforts, research, and innovative solutions.
The historic signing of the MoU took place during the ninth Kubuqi International Desert Forum, held in Inner Mongolia, China. The agreement outlines a series of impactful projects, with a primary focus on environmental conservation and restoration.
A large-scale afforestation initiative, emphasizing the importance of reforestation and contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. The establishment of a shrub nursery, which can play a vital role in rehabilitating degraded lands and supporting sustainable ecosystem restoration. The creation of eco-solar desert control engineering projects, with a specific focus on Saudi cities, to address desertification and its associated challenges.
China’s Desertification Control Efforts
The Kubuqi International Desert Forum brought together a diverse array of participants, including representatives from UN agencies, foreign political leaders, and officials from relevant ministries and commissions. Participants highlighted China’s commendable efforts in desertification control, which have significantly improved both ecological and economic conditions in sandy regions.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed expressed her firsthand experience visiting the Ordos region’s remarkable landscapes, noting China’s successful socioeconomic and ecological restoration efforts. She underscored the importance of these initiatives as a beacon of hope for regions worldwide grappling with land degradation, desiccation, and depletion.
Mahmoud Fathallah, the Arab League’s director of environmental and meteorology affairs, emphasized the critical role of scientific research in addressing desertification, highlighting China’s extensive experience in combating these challenges.
