Egypt chairs Arab group preparing for UN desertification talks

Egypt’s Desert Research Center (DRC) took part in the 24th meeting of the Arab team responsible for following up on the UN conventions to combat desertification and conserve biodiversity, held at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo with the participation of representatives of Arab countries and regional and international organizations. Ahmed Abdel Aty, Egypt’s Executive Coordinator for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and Mohamed Youssef, coordinator of Egypt’s Fourth National Report, represented the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the Desert Research Center and Egypt at the meeting. The meeting aims to formulate a unified Arab position on key issues to be negotiated during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17), scheduled to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in August. At the opening session, Arab member states unanimously elected Abdel Aty as chairman of the Arab follow-up team for the UN conventions on desertification and biodiversity, reflecting confidence in Egyptian expertise and underscoring the leading role of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Desert Research Center in supporting joint Arab environmental action. Under Egypt’s chairmanship, the Arab team is expected to discuss a number of strategic issues, including drought, land restoration, land degradation neutrality, financing, technology transfer, capacity building and stronger Arab coordination, with the aim of unifying Arab positions and advancing the region’s priorities during the international negotiations. Back to top button