China and Arab countries will deepen practical cooperation in combating drought, desertification and land degradation in the coming five years, according to an action plan released on Saturday in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The plan was released at a meeting of the Steering Committee of the China-Arab International Research Center for Drought, Desertification and Land Degradation and the China-Arab Cooperation Workshop, which were held on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Drought, desertification and land degradation are pressing ecological challenges shared by China and Arab nations. The action plan outlines concrete initiatives for the next five years, leveraging platforms such as the China-Arab Center and partnership networks to deepen cooperation in key areas including desertification control, degraded land management, and sandstorm monitoring and early warning.

The 17th session of the COP17 to the UNCCD officially commenced on Monday in Ulaanbaatar under the theme "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope." Delegates from UNCCD's 197 Parties, along with representatives from UN bodies, international organizations, civil society groups, research institutions and enterprises, gathered to discuss issues including restoration of degraded land, sustainable land management, drought resilience, and grassland protection and restoration.

Published Date:2026-08-24