The 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from Dec 2 to 13. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification culminated on Friday in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

During the conference, which began on Dec 2, the Chinese delegation engaged in bilateral meetings with Ibrahim Thiaw, the Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, as well as representatives from United Arab Emirates and Mongolia, according to the National Forest and Grassland Administration.

Chinese experts also exchanged views with representatives from Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mauritania, Ethiopia and other countries. They organized the first meeting of the China-Arab National Cooperation Center Steering Committee and held a seminar on China-Arab cooperation, demonstrating China's leading role in global governance and support for developing countries, the administration said.

More than ten side events were held at the COP16 China Pavilion, with the participation of officials from various countries.

The China Pavilion conveyed China's voice, promoted dialogue through bilateral and multilateral exchanges, and shared success stories of desertification control and prevention in China, said Jia Xiaoxia, deputy director of the Department of Desertification Control at the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

During the COP16, the Chinese delegation also participated in discussions on the core budget, midterm evaluation and future strategic planning of the UNCCD, engaging with the compliance committee and the scientific and technical committee, playing a constructive guiding role, Jia said.

As the host country of COP16, Saudi Arabia announced the launch of a resilience partnership initiative for drought and jointly committed with other donors to raise $3 billion to support drought and land degradation management worldwide.