The establishment of the China-Arab Center will promote regional and global green development and improve people's livelihood, and contribute toward achieving the global goals of zero growth in land degradation by 2030 and a 50% reduction of degraded land by 2040.

On 26 August 2023, at the opening ceremony of the 9th Kubuqi International Desert Forum, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States jointly signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the China-Arab International Research Center for Drought, Desertification and Land Degradation. Meanwhile, the China-Arab International Research Center for Drought, Desertification and Land Degradation was inaugurated. Thereafter, the first batch of cooperative projects were launched.

In 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the "Eight Major Common Actions" for China-Arab practical cooperation at the first China -Arab Summit. The establishment of the China-Arab Center is one of the Actions. The China -Arab Center aims to strengthen and deepen cooperation between China and Arab countries in areas such as combating desertification, providing scientific and technological support, well-informed decision-making support and think tank services to jointly mitigate the impact of drought as well as prevent desertification and land degradation. It will facilitate the integration of talents, technical, financial and other resources of both sides, focusing on key technological innovation, achievement transformation and knowledge sharing, to promote innovation in governance concepts and practices. The Center will also contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and promote regional and global green development and improvement of people's livelihood towards the goals of land degradation neutrality by 2030 and a 50% reduction in land degradation by 2040.

It is reported that under the framework of the MOU and with the platform of the Center, both sides will jointly hold international forums, develop innovative technologies, establish think tanks, build platforms for technology sharing and achievement transfer, and carry out capacity building activities.

   
Opening ceremony of the China-Arab Center   

(Photo source: Global Times on 28 Aug 2023)