Doha: The General Secretariat of the Arab League stressed the importance of concerted efforts by Arab countries to combat drought and desertification.

According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement marking the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, which annually falls on June 17, the General Secretariat of the Arab League said that Arab countries are among the most fragile regions in the world in terms of their ecosystems, with 90 percent of their area classified as arid and hyper-arid.

The statement explained that this year's celebration of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought comes under the theme 'Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities,' with the aim of highlighting the importance of rehabilitating degraded lands and its positive impact on creating job opportunities, enhancing food and water security, supporting climate action, and increasing economic capacity.

The statement also noted the praise of the 34th Arab League Summit, which was recently held in Iraq, for the results of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), which was hosted by Saudi Arabia in December, particularly given the close link between the Climate Change Convention and the Convention to Combat Desertification, and the positive impact of the outcomes of COP16 on countries' efforts to adapt to the effects of climate change.

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought falls on June 17 every year, coinciding with the UN General Assembly resolution issued in December 1994, which aimed to raise global awareness of the importance of combating land degradation and the challenges of drought, and to enhance international cooperation to take effective measures to conserve natural resources and ensure sustainable development.