National Plan to Combat Desertification

 (ST)- To address this environmental problem of the great economic impact in human life, and overcome the serious negative aspects emerge from such as drought, poverty and food insecurity, in addition to what comes about social problems such as unemployment, illiteracy, migration and others. The Ministry of Environment is studying these effects to prepare the requirements of strategic plans and securing all necessary scientific and material supplies to translate their objectives.

In this regard, the Minister of State for Environment Affairs Dr. Nazira Sarkis announced the launch of a national strategy to combat desertification in order to maintain the vegetation in Syria and fight against desertification in all its forms, whereas a plan was prepared in collaboration with all stakeholders and working is on to update this plan  through a national committee formed to this purpose, in addition to the implementation of a series of studies and workshops to introduce the dangers of desertification and develop appropriate solutions to combat desertification, and to assist in the reduction of this phenomenon through the implementation of projects as a wind erosion project in the province of Deir ez-Zour, a draft study of soil erosion in the coastal region of Lattakia and Tartous, and project of control and monitoring dust storms, in addition to increasing green spaces, increase reserves and expand in the establishment of environmental parks.

Dr. Sarkis pointed out that the government’s attitude to give the eastern region of greatest interest through the eastern region development project, and the Green Belt project around Deir ez-Zour, the integrated development project in the Syrian desert, a project to revive pastures and the establishment of nature reserves, a project to develop the Syrian desert, a project for establishing pastoral reserves, and a project for establishing green oases and sand dune stabilization project in Deir ez-Zour.

“The Ministry will implement a Memorandum of Understanding to monitor dust storms in collaboration with the Public Authority for Remote Sensing, in order to rehabilitate degraded land, expand vegetation and sand dune stabilization, the establishment of green belts around residential areas and the sustainable management of natural resources, and keeping the balance of ecosystems, as well as to reduce the environmental and health impacts and economic storms of sand and dust,” Dr. Sarkis explained.

It is worthy mentioned that the Ministry of Environment signed several international and regional conventions with regard to the phenomenon of dust storms and what causes of severe damage to agriculture, economy, human and animal health, which threatens vital economic installations and affect air navigation and traffic on public roads and railways, as the work is going on in collaboration with neighboring countries In order to coordinate regional efforts to reduce the phenomenon of dust storms.

Sharif al – Khatib