The Global Dryland Alliance (GDA) holds the first ordinary session of its executive council today in Doha in the presence of ministers in charge of environment, agriculture, food security, livestock and fisheries, it was announced in a statement.
The session at Sheraton Doha will discuss the report of the executive director that includes the achievement of the forum since its inception last year and the host agreement of this international organisation in Doha. Also the executive council will debate over the action plan for the upcoming period.
Among the key issues to be raised during the current session are the procedures required to ratify the convention on establishment and accession to the organisation, approve the administrative and organisational structure of the Alliance secretariat, and agree on the diversification of financing sources and adopt the innovative financing mechanism.
On the sidelines of the meeting, GDA executive director, ambassador Bader al-Dafa said the current session of the GDA executive council will draw a roadmap for the secretariat efforts, through a set of resolutions that, once implemented, will kick off the actual work of the
organisation. 
Ambassador al-Dafa has revealed that many countries and international organisations have expressed their intentions to join the Alliance as members or as partners.
The GDA had concluded its foundation conference on October 15, 2017 in the presence of 11 countries from the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel and Arabian Gulf, who signed the convention on establishment. The GDA aims to find sustainable solutions for the problems of food security in its Member States, exchange knowledge and provide assistance in times of food crises.
The alliance also aims to establish innovative methods to develop international co-operation with partners on the local, regional and international levels to explore and disseminate solutions to face agriculture, water and energy related challenges in dryland countries.

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