Saudi Arabia Calls for Global Collaboration to Enhance Funding for Land Rehabilitation.

Riyadh: The Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Alfadley, who is also the President of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, participated in the commencement of Finance Day on the second day of the conference. COP16 is being held in Riyadh from December 2 to 13, with representatives from over 90 countries participating. According to Saudi Press Agency, during his speech, Alfadley stated, "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia calls for strengthening effective partnerships to create new financing opportunities to support land rehabilitation initiatives and enhance their resilience against drought." He emphasized that financing is crucial in addressing environmental challenges and advancing conservation efforts. The conference president underscored Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to tackle environmental challenges across national, regional, and international levels, in alignment with the goals of Vision 2030. He noted that co mbating land degradation and addressing drought are key priorities in the country's national environmental strategy. Furthermore, he highlighted the Kingdom's aim to achieve financial sustainability in the environmental sector through the establishment of the Environment Fund. The Finance Day featured dialogue sessions with the participation of ministers, officials, and experts, focusing on financing land rehabilitation, combating drought, and strengthening partnerships.