The Arab Group participating in the Fourteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held on Thursday, 12 September 2019, a side event on the sidelines of the ministerial level of the Conference, organized and supervised by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) in the presence of H.E Prod Ibrahim El Dukheri AOAD Director General, the Ambassadors of Algeria and Palestine in New Delhi, the Assistant Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, as well as the Arab delegations participating in the Conference and many civil society organizations.

AOAD presented two presentations, the first dealt with AOAD’s plan to support the Arab countries in the implementation of the new Global Strategy to Combat Desertification 2018-2020, while the second presentation addressed the first unified Arab report on the efforts of Arab countries in neutralizing land degradation.

Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq and Egypt presented examples of successful experiences in combating desertification in their countries.

 H.E Prof El Dukheri held a working session with HE Eng. Ibrahim Itayao, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD in his office, during which they discussed aspects of cooperation between the Secretariat of the Convention and AOAD and its future prospects after the adoption of AOAD’s plan to support its member countries.

 H.E Prof El Dukheri also held a working session, with HE Mr. Carlos Carlos, Director General of the Global Mechanism to Combat Desertification (CCD), on the issues of cooperation between the Mechanism and AOAD, in particular joint action to make greater use of the Arab countries.