Arab League stresses importance of combating drought

CAIRO, The Arab League stressed on Monday the importance of Arab countries' efforts in confronting drought and desertification, as 90 percent of their areas are classified as extremely dry. The Arab League said in a statement that June 17th was officially declared World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, based on the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 115/9 in December 1994. He added that this year, the theme of the Desertification and Drought Day "United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future" spotlights the future of land stewardship to ensure the stability and prosperity of billions of people around the world. He added that the 33rd Arab Summit stressed the importance of providing the necessary support to Saudi Arabia to host the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), scheduled in Riyadh next December. Source: Kuwait News Agency