The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT), jointly organized a training workshop on 14 to 18 July 2024, for about 46 participants from 14 national stakeholders. These stakeholders include several departments of NCVC, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) and relevant universities, focused on strengthening their capacity in developing a sustainable land management (SLM) framework in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Training workshop strengthens NCVC, MEWA and universities’ capacity for developing SLM framework in Saudi Arabia“The cooperation between NCVC and FAO has been instrumental in enhancing joint efforts for sustainable natural resources development in Saudi Arabia,” said Mohamed Al Saeed, Director of the Department of Mitigation of Drought, speaking on behalf of the NCVC at the opening ceremony of the training workshop held at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Riyadh. Al Saeed emphasized the importance of collaborating with an elite group of experts, specialists and stakeholders to strengthen partnership and unify efforts in protecting the environment, improving vegetation cover and combating desertification. He noted that the stakeholders’ engagement reflects the extent of their commitment to environmental and sustainability issues and underscores the importance of cooperation between different parties to achieve Saudi Arabia’s environmental goals.“Environmental challenges in Saudi Arabia necessitate strong cooperation, solidarity and the adoption of best global practices in natural resources management,” added Al Saeed as he spoke about the series of fruitful meetings held to discuss compatibility and ways to enhance the joint efforts. Through this workshop, NCVC aims to strengthen its technical and administrative capabilities, and to exchange ideas and experiences with our international partners.Al Saeed extended his deepest appreciation to FAO and WOCAT for their continued support and cooperation and thanked the participants for their active engagement and great keen interest in environmental and sustainability issues. He concluded by expressing NCVC’s aspirations and anticipation of achieving positive and tangible results through this constructive cooperation. Saudi Arabia's commitment to sustainable rural agriculture“Efforts to combat climate change and enhance sustainable agriculture are crucial for securing food security and improving livelihoods in hyper-arid regions,” Kakoli Ghosh, speaking on behalf of FAO Saudi Arabia, and welcoming the WOCAT team and participants from different sectors. Ghosh commended Saudi decision-makers for their strong support for the development of scientific and sustainable solutions in reducing land degradation and mitigating sand encroachment to improve the rural economy. She emphasized FAO’s commitment to providing best practices to achieve food security through piloting innovative and suitable solutions in the agriculture sector. She stressed that these efforts should continue, focusing on value addition, conserving natural resources and improving livelihood and income.Collaboration between FAO with WOCAT“Our collaboration with WOCAT is pivotal in developing SLM framework, which will play a key role in addressing land degradation and desertification in Saudi Arabia while engaging a wide range of stakeholders to promote environmental sustainability,” said Jeremiah Njeru, Chief Technical Adviser of Natural Resources Management at FAO Saudi Arabia. He highlighted the collaboration between FAO and WOCAT through a Letter of Agreement, aims on strengthening the SLM in Saudi Arabia by developing an SLM Framework in partnership with the NCVC and MEWA. Njeru emphasized that an SLM framework will enable Saudi Arabia to effectively tackle land degradation and desertification, promote SLM technologies and practices across the Kingdom, and develop a platform for engaging all land sector stakeholders including government institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and local communities.Njeru also emphasized the overarching goal of promoting innovative SLM technologies and practices to prevent degradation, enhance ecosystem resilience, and contribute to the long-term environmental sustainability goals of Saudi Arabia, including the Saudi Vision 2030 and other climate, biodiversity, and environmental initiatives such as Saudi Green Initiative. He welcomed the WOCAT team and highlighted the workshop as the initial step in documenting and implementing sustainable land management in Saudi Arabia.Saudi gains essential knowledge in SLM and readinessThree experts from WOCAT, namely Rima Mekdaschi, Jonas Chastonay and Joren Verbist, actively participated in the 5-day training workshop. They presented a common understanding of SLM, a brief introduction to WOCAT focusing on database and its use, SLM and the landscape approach, WOCAT documentation, criteria for assessing the sustainability and suitability of good land management practices, using WOCAT data within the context of the SLM framework for Saudi Arabia and initial ideas for a platform specific to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, four experts from FAO Saudi Arabia, namely Sami Albarih, Mona Dawelbait, Mosaed Majrashi and Yahya Alotaibi, contributed by presenting the status of land degradation in Saudi Arabia, identifying hotspots and focus areas as well as organizing a field day in Thadiq governorate to document three technologies and one approach.Extensive discussions were held with 46 participants, with strong participation of Saudi females throughout the workshop. The training workshop concluded successfully, featuring a range of topics, including individual tutorials and practical sessions for participants to reflect on and apply their newly acquired knowledge in suitability, sustainability and documentation of technologies and approaches in the WOCAT platform.On the final day, a planning presentation highlighting the next steps was delivered, with ongoing efforts planned to document SLM practices in Saudi Arabia and establish a framework for integration into the proposed Arabic platform of SLM for Saudi Arabia. The skills and knowledge gained will be instrumental and play a crucial role in combating desertification in Saudi Arabia through the implementation of SLM practices.

Today, Al-Adhraa National Park stands as a symbol of resilience and community spirit, where individuals are united by their love for the land and engaged in a remarkable journey of restoration and growth. Situated near desert terrain, this agricultural centre has a deep connection with the arid landscape, influencing both recreational activities and a sense of identity among villagers. Observing the gradual decline of vegetation due to desertification, in 2017, Al-Adhraa’s young, dedicated group had successfully rehabilitated and replanted the area with its original natural and indigenous plant life through joint efforts with volunteers and the local municipality in Al-Adhraa. Unfortunately, the project was unsustainable due to insufficient support, expertise, and a lack of technical knowledge in managing such endeavors.“We never gave up!  Drawing lessons from past setbacks, we formed a volunteer environmental team and set up the "Al-Adhraa National Park" in a new location closer to the village” said one of the communities in Al-Adhraa known as "Sidr Al-Jawf." Inspired by the dedication of the Al-Adhraa community in combatting desertification and revitalizing the vegetation in their region, their commitment and hard work did not go unnoticed. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) collaborated on the project “Strengthening Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s capacity to implement its Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme, (UTF/SAU/051/SAU)” to support the Al-Adhraa community in their transformative journey. By offering expertise, technical guidance and a distance training course, FAO and NCVC strong collaboration significantly improved the efficiency of work in the Al-Adhraa National Park. “The good practices shared by FAO and NCVC experts provided me and my friends with opportunities to strengthen our skills, knowledge and awareness in combatting desertification, sand encroachment, and promoting sustainable vegetation development in Al-Adhraa,” expressed a leader of the Al-Adhraa community. “I am proud to be part of the team as I gained valuable insights and experiences from diverse international and local experts.”  The community shared that the significant increase in awareness within the "Sidr Al-Jawf" association led them to officially register the “Sidr Al-Jawf Association” to the “Sidr Wild Trees Association” with the status of a National Center for the Non-Profit Sector.“I was amazed by the experiences shared by the Chinese” said one of the community members during their study trip to China, where they were selected to be part of a delegation exploring Chinese expertise in combating desertification and reducing sand encroachment jointly organized by FAO and NCVC. Reflecting on the trip, a community member shared, “The visit to China provided me and my friends with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.” The participants were inspired and exposed to a variety of practices rooted in scientific research and successful on-the-ground experiments. With the support of FAO, the visit to China instilled great hope and motivation in the community to continue in their efforts in combatting desertification in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Major Funding and SupportThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through its Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), has reaffirmed its commitment to global anti-corruption efforts. Following an initial $10 million contribution in 2020, Saudi Arabia has now provided an additional $20 million for developing and maintaining a secure communication platform for the UNODC’s GlobE Network.Recent DevelopmentsOn June 10, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly and Nazaha President Mazin Ibrahim Al Kahmous signed a new agreement in Vienna for the platform’s development. This initiative will enhance the Network’s ability to provide a secure environment for anti-corruption practitioners to share information and collaborate on cross-border cases. “The GlobE Network is one of our most powerful tools for international cooperation against corruption,” said Ms. Waly.Background: The Initial FundingIn 2020, under Saudi Arabia's G20 presidency, Nazaha and UNODC signed a $10 million funding agreement to establish the GlobE Network. This initiative, known as the Riyadh Initiative, supports anti-corruption authorities with regular meetings, an online hub, a secure communication platform, and capacity-building programs.The Need for Secure CommunicationCorruption cases often span multiple countries, requiring swift and secure communication. The new platform will address security risks posed by current informal exchanges through unsecured channels, providing a secure space for real-time information exchange.Saudi Arabia’s RoleSaudi Arabia’s financial contributions and active participation underscore its commitment to fostering international cooperation and enhancing global anti-corruption efforts. The additional funding aligns with the Riyadh Initiative and supports goals established during Saudi Arabia’s G20 Presidency in 2020.About the GlobE NetworkLaunched in 2021, the GlobE Network has grown to include 206 authorities from 116 countries, fostering informal cooperation among anti-corruption practitioners worldwide. Learn More: For more details, visit the dedicated [GlobE Network page on the UNODC website](https://globenetwork.unodc.org).

As a result, demand for minerals like cobalt, nickel, lithium and copper is estimated to increase by 500% by 2050. To promote a socially responsible and environmentally sound mining sector, UNIDO’s Director General, Gerd Müller, announced the establishment of a “Global Alliance and Partnership for Responsible and Green Minerals”, in cooperation with international partners and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the Ministerial Roundtable of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh. All countries are invited to participate, although initially countries at the forefront of critical minerals mining in Africa, Asia and Latin America will be targeted to join, many of them developing and least developed countries. In his opening remarks of the Ministerial Roundtable, Müller emphasized that “without critical minerals, there is no green energy transition, no green industrialization". He highlighted that “a Global Alliance for Responsible and Green Minerals, with binding environmental and social standards for the mining industry and an independent certification system, has advantages for all market participants. It creates a real win-win situation for the countries with the raw materials. It will increase local value addition and production alongside jobs in the mining regions, and hundreds of millions of people, primarily in artisanal and small-scale mining, will benefit from living wages, adherence to fundamental human rights, as well as standards in the sector. Finally, it will help reduce and minimize damage to the environment.” The Alliance will work to set up international guidelines and benchmarks for sustainable critical minerals supply chains, help countries with the implementation of standards and policies, supported by a sound certification system. Participating countries and industry stakeholders will benefit from knowledge transfer and capacity building. Alignment of policy, technology and financing approaches will be at the core of the new Alliance, promoting a fair and green sector that supports inclusive and sustainable economic development. UNIDO will support with policy advice, capacity building, and implementation of standards and certification, and will act as the convener of this Alliance, bringing together governments, the mining industry, industry associations, relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, international financial institutions, technology providers and academia to advance the capacities of partner countries for sustainable critical minerals supply chains. The launch of the new Alliance and accelerating progress in promoting a sustainable mining sector globally took centre stage during Müller’s meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef. They also reviewed recent progress on the further strengthening of cooperation between UNIDO and Saudi Arabia. Several new flagship initiatives and concrete programmes are in the pipeline and will be launched soon. Sound industrial policy is crucial for the diversification of the Kingdom’s economy, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its National Industrial Strategy. UNIDO will support in areas such as industrial development advice, statistical data availability, and capacity building for industrial policymakers. Supporting the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy was also the topic of Director General Müller’s meeting with Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal F. Al Ibrahim. They discussed avenues of cooperation to support developing countries in achieving their industrial development goals, with a particular focus on least developed countries (LDCs) and landlocked developing countries. Joint initiatives to increase local value addition and industrialization in areas like access to energy, food security through water management, agritech and agribusiness were explored. One particular issue discussed was UNIDO’s support for the development of industrial policies, statistics observatories and economic diversification strategies in the Kingdom and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, both in terms of what UNIDO can offer for the development of methodologies and the provision of expertise as well as for implementation. The visit of the Director General to the Kingdom further intensified the new quality of cooperation between UNIDO and Saudi Arabia. At the 20th UNIDO General Conference, UNIDO’s Member States decided that Saudi Arabia will host the next UNIDO General Conference in Riyadh from 23 to 27 November 2025.