Sudan and the Republic of Belarus held discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification in Mongolia on ways to strengthen cooperation and exchange expertise in the fields of environmental protection, natural resource development and support for sustainable development. The Secretary-General of Sudan’s Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources, Suleiman Al-Boni, met with Belarusian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Viktor Galanov, during which they discussed a number of issues related to the environmental sector. The Secretary-General noted that Sudan faces challenges related to drought, desertification and climate change, which affect food and water security, stressing the need to strengthen institutional and technical capacities. He highlighted the link between environmental action and the reconstruction phase, calling for stronger international partnerships to support recovery, climate resilience, ecosystem rehabilitation and technology transfer. Al-Boni also expressed Sudan’s desire to sign a memorandum of understanding with Belarus to provide an organized framework for future environmental cooperation. The Belarusian side, for its part, affirmed its willingness to develop direct cooperation with Sudanese institutions and identify priorities for a sustainable partnership.BH/BH