Environment Affairs Minister: Increasing efforts to combat desertification

Damascus, SANA. The world marks the World Day to Combat Desertification on June 17th, a day for raising awareness on the need to find ways to combat desertification and face its adverse effects on health, environment, living conditions, and food security.

Syria was one of the first companies to join the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 1994, ratifying it in 1997, taking part in most related conference, and committing itself to the Convention and relevant resolutions.

On occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification, State Minister for Environment Affairs Nazira Serkis said that the Ministry and other relevant state establishments are working to increase efforts to combat desertification by rehabilitating deteriorating lands, expanding planted areas, sand dunes fixation, and building green belts.

Among the Ministry’s activities in this field is a special project for monitoring dust storms with the General Establishment of Remote Sensing, which is one of many plans carried out according to a national plan.

Serkis said the government is giving special attention to the eastern region in this regard, with several projects in Deir Ezzor province and the Syrian Badiya Desert, with projects for developing grazing lands, establishing reserves, and so on.

The Ministry also carries out regular forestation campaigns to expand green areas and limit densification.

H. Sabbagh