Egypt chairs Arab group preparing for UN desertification talks

Egypt is spearheading the Arab nations' preparation for crucial international talks on desertification and biodiversity conservation. The country's Desert Research Center (DRC) hosted the 24th meeting of the Arab team tasked with following up on UN conventions related to these environmental challenges.

The meeting, held at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, brought together representatives from Arab countries and various regional and international organizations. Ahmed Abdel Aty, Egypt's Executive Coordinator for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and Mohamed Youssef, coordinator of Egypt’s Fourth National Report, represented key Egyptian agricultural and environmental bodies.

The primary objective of the gathering was to develop a cohesive Arab stance on critical issues to be negotiated at the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17). This major international conference is scheduled to take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in August.

During the opening session, Arab member states unanimously elected Abdel Aty as the chairman of the Arab follow-up team. This election signifies strong confidence in Egyptian expertise and underscores the prominent role played by Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture and the DRC in advancing joint Arab environmental initiatives. Under Egypt's leadership, the team is set to deliberate on strategic topics such as drought, land restoration, land degradation neutrality, financing, technology transfer, capacity building, and enhancing Arab coordination. The ultimate goal is to consolidate Arab positions and effectively promote the region's priorities during the international negotiations.

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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.