Belt and Road countries in joint fight against desertification

Countries along the Belt and Road Sunday launched a cooperation framework to fight against desertification.

The framework was set up on the sidelines of the thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

The framework will help members cooperate on financing, sharing information, training, and learning from each other through example projects, said Zhang Jianlong, head of State Forestry Administration.

Zhang said the effort will contribute to the cessation of land degradation and the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.

Another forestry official, Pan Yingzhen, said the framework can raise fund by setting up public equity funds, donation, public-private-partnership and etc.

Last year, China and the UNCCD launched a joint action initiative to combat desertification and rehabilitate degraded land along the Belt and Road. The initiative spans Eurasia linking China, Middle East, Europe, Africa by ancient silk-road routes.