The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to grant observer status in the UN General Assembly for the Global Dryland Alliance (GDA), which is based in Doha.

The resolution was presented by the State of Qatar and joined by 49 countries, unanimously.

The resolution calls on the Global Dryland Alliance to participate in the General Assembly as an observer.

Based on the resolution, the Alliance will formally participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly in the capacity of observer.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani presented the initiative of the Global Dryland Alliance in a speech at the 68th session of United Nations General Assembly in Sep. 2014.

The Alliance includes a number of member states and partners, and aims at addressing food security issue faced by drylands' inhabitants, filling the existing gaps in research, strategies and policies to enable dryland countries to achieve food security and ensure the well-being of their people, exchanging knowledge and best practices, developing countries' capacities to prevent food crises, and exchanging assistance.

The Global Dryland Alliance, which was established on Oct. 15, 2017 in Doha, performs its activities in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations aimed at promoting peace and international cooperation. (QNA)