Saudi Arabia emphasized the importance of regional and international cooperation in addressing environmental challenges, particularly in rehabilitating degraded lands and increasing the resilience of communities and ecosystems to drought. These points were highlighted by Vice Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Eng. Mansour Al Mushaiti during the 26th meeting of GCC ministers responsible for environmental affairs, held today in Qatar. Al Mushaiti called on GCC countries to ratify the Middle East Green Initiative Charter and include national targets for tree planting and land rehabilitation within the initiative's goals. He also advocated for increased support from national development funds in the GCC countries for vegetation development projects in the region. Al Mushaiti noted that the GCC meetings have contributed to advancing environmental work and achieving sustainable development goals in the region. He emphasized the importance of addressing environmental protection, climate change adapta tion and mitigation, and balancing development with natural resource preservation. Looking ahead, Al Mushaiti expressed hope that Saudi Arabia's hosting of the 16th session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of the Parties (COP16) in December will significantly impact international efforts to reduce land degradation and drought effects. He called for effective participation from all GCC countries, states parties to the agreement, international and regional organizations, the private sector, and civil society in the conference activities. Source: Saudi Press Agency