Cairo: Egypt's Desert Research Center (DRC) participated in the 24th meeting of the Arab team responsible for monitoring the United Nations conventions aimed at combating desertification and conserving biodiversity. The meeting took place at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo and included representatives from various Arab countries as well as regional and international organizations.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Ahmed Abdel Aty, who serves as Egypt's Executive Coordinator for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), along with Mohamed Youssef, coordinator of Egypt's Fourth National Report, represented the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and the Desert Research Center at the meeting. The discussions aimed to craft a unified Arab stance on key issues for negotiation during the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17), set to occur in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in August.

During 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. This election signifies the confidence in Egyptian expertise and highlights the significant role of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Desert Research Center in bolstering joint Arab environmental efforts.

Under Egypt's leadership, the Arab team is anticipated to address strategic issues such as drought management, land restoration, land degradation neutrality, financial mechanisms, technology transfer, capacity building, and enhanced Arab coordination. The aim is to unify Arab positions and promote the region's priorities in the forthcoming international negotiations.