The world marks the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on 17 June. The observance was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 115/49 of December 1994, designating the day for awareness and action on this critical issue.
This year's theme, "Restore Land, Unleash Opportunity," brings to the forefront the vital importance of rehabilitating degraded lands and the far-reaching benefits this brings—ranging from job creation and enhanced food and water security to bolstered climate resilience and strengthened economic capacity.
Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Economic Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States, affirmed that combating desertification and drought is among the foremost priorities monitored by the General Secretariat. This work is carried out through the Department of Environmental and Meteorological Affairs and the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, as well as the Arab Group for Monitoring International Environmental Agreements on Biodiversity and Desertification. This group convenes regularly to coordinate Arab positions and unify the efforts of Arab delegations participating in meetings under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
On this occasion, the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States affirms the urgent need for unified Arab efforts to address drought and desertification—challenges that are especially critical for the region, where 90% of the land is classified as arid or hyper-arid, making Arab ecosystems among the most fragile globally.
The 34th Arab Summit, recently convened in the Republic of Iraq, commended the outcomes of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in December. The summit highlighted the interconnectedness of the Climate Change Convention and the Desertification Convention, and the positive impact of COP16 outcomes in advancing countries' adaptation efforts to the effects of climate change.
