HOHHOT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Countries along the Belt and Road launched on September 10 a mechanism for cooperation in prevention and control of desertification during the 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Zhang Jianlong, head of the State Forestry Administration and Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) attended the conference, which opened on September 6 in Ordos city of north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The mechanism is aimed at strengthening communication and consultation, sharing experience and technologies, promoting ecological protection, effectively curbing desertification and land degradation, and contributing to the cessation of land degradation and the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.
Zhang pointed out that the mechanism will help members cooperate on financing, sharing information, training, and learning from each other through example project.
The mechanism is of great significance, said Zhang, adding that it presented China’s scheme for coping with challenges and dilemma in a bid to maintain global ecological security, and meanwhile, the mechanism also unfolded China's wisdom of absorbing internationally advanced experience in prevention and control for promoting sustainable development.
With the concerted efforts of all sides, the conference has achieved tangible results in the establishment and development of the mechanism, Zhang also noted.
The State Forestry Administration will actively respond to the mechanism charters, promote the international cooperation in desertification prevention and control among the countries along the Belt and Road, devote itself to desertification prevention and control, and make contributions to desertification prevention and control in Belt and Road countries, Zhang added.
The mechanism showed all sides' ambition and consensus on preventing and controlling desertification and achieving the UN Agenda 2030 for the sustainable development, said Barbut.
She expressed that the mechanism will promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for the sustainable development, introduce green development concepts, green technologies and green investment to the countries along the Belt and Road, and deepen their exchanges in economy and other fields.
As an important platform for sharing the best practices of global desertification prevention and control, the mechanism will promote the fair and impartial development of UN member states, renovate cooperation modes, carry out practical cooperation in a wide range of fields and benefit people of all nations, she stressed.
The conference deepened all sides' understanding of the mechanism and enhanced the mutual trust among all nations in cooperation. All sides in different ways expressed their willingness to join the mechanism. (Edited by Yang Yifan, yangyifan@xinhua.org)
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