Land beautification needed to combat desertification

Pakistan has observed World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17 with the theme "The beauty of deserts and the challenge of desertification".
Observance of the day was in consonance to the Resolution 58/211 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly asking all relevant international organisations and Member States to support the activities related to desertification, including land degradation.
The resolution adopted in December 2003 specifically focuses on affected countries, in particular African countries and least developed countries urging them to seeking co-ordinated efforts to in its resolution.
World Day to Combat Desertification holds extreme relevance to Pakistan with major part of it comprising arid, semi-arid land. Desertification ie the loss of land's biological productivity in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas is one of the most serious threats facing humanity.
This observance was also coincides with the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, and with the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which plays an important role in efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals.
It is a global problem, affecting one-fifth of the world's population in more than 100 countries. And it has far-reaching consequences.
In a terrible spiral, it is partly caused by poverty, and exacerbates it. Together with other problems, it leads to forced migration from impoverished rural areas to cities that are themselves often ill-equipped to adequately shelter and employ new arrivals.
UN General Secretary, in his message for the day said, if we do not take action, current trends suggest that by 2020 an estimated 60 million people could move from desertified areas of sub-Saharan Africa towards North Africa and Europe, and that world-wide, 135 million people could be placed at risk of being uprooted.
He further observed that at the same time, there is also an urgent need to safeguard deserts themselves, as they are vital ecosystems. Elaborating his stance, he said deserts have also been home to some of the world's most ancient and culturally rich civilisations, stretching over thousands of miles, from the legendary Mesopotamian Fertile Crescent to the regions of the Silk Road and the arid ecosystems of Latin America, he elaborated.
On World Day, let us resolve to step up the implementation of the Convention, and to work for more concerted efforts to address land degradation and desertification, he said.