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class=mcnPreviewText>UNCCD PRESS RELEASE: Saudi Arabia to host largest-ever UN 
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                              href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=fee9c019b3&e=2649914cd5" 
                              target=_blank><IMG 
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                              data-file-id="1261421"></A><BR><BR><SPAN 
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                              href="https://mailchi.mp/93c66dc74449/unccd-press-release-saudi-arabia-to-host-largest-ever-un-conference-on-land-and-drought?e=2649914cd5" 
                              target=_blank>View this email in your 
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                              paraeid="{dca477f7-c6a8-4dc6-b5bd-32a986f1c997}{73}"><SPAN 
                              style="FONT-SIZE: 22px"><STRONG><SPAN 
                              style="FONT-FAMILY: roboto,helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif">UNCCD 
                              PRESS RELEASE</SPAN></STRONG></SPAN></P>
                              <P 
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                              paraid="1859950113" 
                              paraeid="{8e298656-edf0-45dd-b8dd-a4d5e5e04233}{149}">additional 
                              languages will follow</P>
                              <P 
                              style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; MARGIN: 10px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #202020; FONT-SIZE: 16px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              paraid="1859950113" 
                              paraeid="{8e298656-edf0-45dd-b8dd-a4d5e5e04233}{149}"><STRONG><U>For 
                              immediate release</U></STRONG></P>
                              <P 
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                              paraid="1859950113" 
                              paraeid="{8e298656-edf0-45dd-b8dd-a4d5e5e04233}{149}"><BR><SPAN 
                              style="FONT-FAMILY: roboto,helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif"><SPAN 
                              style="FONT-SIZE: 18px"><STRONG>Saudi Arabia to 
                              host largest-ever UN conference on land and 
                              drought</STRONG></SPAN><BR><BR><SPAN 
                              style="FONT-SIZE: 16px"><STRONG>Riyadh, 31 January 
                              2024</STRONG> – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and 
                              the United Nations Convention to Combat 
                              Desertification (UNCCD) signed an agreement paving 
                              the way for the 16<SUP>th</SUP> session of the 
                              Convention’s Conference of the Parties (COP16) in 
                              Riyadh from 2-13 December 2024.<BR><BR>The Riyadh 
                              COP16 will be the largest-ever meeting of UNCCD’s 
                              197 Parties, the first to be held in the Middle 
                              East region and the largest multilateral 
                              conference ever hosted by Saudi Arabia. 2024 also 
                              marks the 30<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the 
                              UNCCD, one of the three major environmental 
                              treaties known as the Rio Conventions, alongside 
                              climate change and biodiversity.<BR><BR>At the 
                              signing ceremony in Riyadh today, Eng. Abdulrahman 
                              Abdulmohsen AlFadley, Saudi Minister of 
                              Environment, Water and Agriculture and COP16 
                              President, said: “The hosting of the conference 
                              (COP16) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reflects 
                              the commitment of the wise leadership to 
                              environmental protection at the national, 
                              regional, and international levels. Additionally, 
                              Saudi Arabia launched several groundbreaking 
                              environmental projects, such as the Saudi Green 
                              Initiative and the Middle East Green 
                              Initiative.”<BR><BR>UNCCD Executive Secretary 
                              Ibrahim Thiaw said: “Today, we are losing fertile 
                              lands at an alarming rate, jeopardizing global 
                              stability, prosperity and sustainability. The 
                              Riyadh COP16 must mark a turning point in the way 
                              we treat our most precious resource—land—and 
                              collectively tackle the global drought 
                              emergency.”<BR><BR>According to UNCCD data, up to 
                              40 per cent of the world’s land is degraded, 
                              affecting half of humanity and with dire 
                              consequences for our climate, biodiversity and 
                              livelihoods. If current trends continue, restoring 
                              1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 will be 
                              necessary to achieve a land-degradation-neutral 
                              world.<BR><BR>Droughts are hitting more often and 
                              harder all over the world—up by 29 per cent since 
                              2000—driven by climate change but also the way we 
                              manage our land. One-quarter of the world’s 
                              population is already affected by droughts, with 
                              every three out of four people around the world 
                              projected to face water scarcity by 
                              2050.<BR><BR>The Riyadh COP16 will focus on 
                              mobilizing governments, businesses and communities 
                              worldwide to accelerate action on land restoration 
                              and drought resilience as a cornerstone of food, 
                              water and energy security.<BR><BR>The two-week 
                              event will feature a high-level segment, as well 
                              as associated events including the Gender Caucus 
                              and the Business for Land Forum.<BR>Taking place 
                              in the most water-scarce region and one that is 
                              severely affected by desertification and land 
                              degradation, the Riyadh COP16 will showcase 
                              efforts underway in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East 
                              region and beyond towards a green transition based 
                              on sustainable land 
                              stewardship.<BR><BR>—ENDS—<BR><BR><STRONG>For more 
                              information, please contact: </STRONG><BR>Wael A 
                              Bushah, Managing Director, Environmental Awareness 
                              and Capabilities Enhancement, Ministry of 
                              Environment, Water and Agriculture, Kingdom of 
                              Saudi Arabia, <A 
                              style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              href="mailto:Wbushah@mewa.gov.sa">Wbushah@mewa.gov.sa</A><BR>Xenya 
                              Scanlon, Chief, Communications, External Relations 
                              and Partnerships, UNCCD, <A 
                              style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              href="mailto:xscanlon@unccd.int">xscanlon@unccd.int</A><BR>UNCCD 
                              Press Office, <A 
                              style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              href="mailto:press@unccd.int">press@unccd.int</A>, 
                              +49 228 815 2820, <A 
                              style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=6419ffe90e&e=2649914cd5">https://www.unccd.int/</A>, 
                              @unccd<BR>#UNited4Land #COP16Riyadh 
                              #UNCCDCOP16<BR><BR><STRONG>About 
                              UNCCD</STRONG><BR>The United Nations Convention to 
                              Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global 
                              vision and voice for land. We unite governments, 
                              scientists, policymakers, private sector and 
                              communities around a shared vision and global 
                              action to restore and manage the world’s land for 
                              the sustainability of humanity and the planet. 
                              Much more than an international treaty signed by 
                              197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to 
                              mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and 
                              advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to 
                              provide food, water, shelter and economic 
                              opportunity to all people in an equitable and 
                              inclusive manner.</SPAN></SPAN><BR> </P>
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                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                        class=mcnFollowContentContainer border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                        cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                            align=middle>
                              <TABLE 
                              style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              class=mcnFollowContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                              cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=top align=middle>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                                align=center>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=top align=middle><!--[if mso]>
                                    <table align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
                                    <tr>
                                    <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=d7dcf1ad73&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=Twitter 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-twitter-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=fb263cea40&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=Facebook 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-facebook-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=0ef7621d61&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=https://www.unccd.int/ 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-link-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=ca1740590a&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=Instagram 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-instagram-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=86e2814312&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=YouTube 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-youtube-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                    </tr>
                                    </table>
                                    <![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed !important; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                  class=mcnDividerBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
                    <TBODY class=mcnDividerBlockOuter>
                    <TR>
                      <TD 
                      style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 18px; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; PADDING-TOP: 18px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                      class=mcnDividerBlockInner>
                        <TABLE 
                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: #eaeaea 2px solid; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                        class=mcnDividerContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                        cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><SPAN></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--
                <td class="mcnDividerBlockInner" style="padding: 18px;">
                <hr class="mcnDividerContent" style="border-bottom-color:none; border-left-color:none; border-right-color:none; border-bottom-width:0; border-left-width:0; border-right-width:0; margin-top:0; margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:0;" />
--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                  class=mcnTextBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
                    <TBODY class=mcnTextBlockOuter>
                    <TR>
                      <TD 
                      style="PADDING-TOP: 9px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                      class=mcnTextBlockInner vAlign=top><!--[if mso]>
                                <table align="left" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100%;">
                                <tr>
                                <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                <td valign="top" width="600" style="width:600px;">
                                <![endif]-->
                        <TABLE 
                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                        class=mcnTextContentContainer border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                        cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=left>
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #656565; FONT-SIZE: 12px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                            class=mcnTextContent vAlign=top><EM>Copyright © 
                              2023* United Nations Convention to Combat 
                              Desertification*, All rights 
                              reserved.</EM><BR><BR><STRONG>For preview 
                              interviews and media related inquires 
                              </STRONG>please contact:<BR>UNCCD Press Office: <A 
                              style="COLOR: #656565; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                              href="mailto:press@unccd.int">press@unccd.int</A> <BR><BR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                </td>
                                <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                </tr>
                                </table>
                                <![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed !important; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" 
                  class=mcnDividerBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
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                        <DIV 
                        style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black" 
                        align=left><B>From:</B> <A title=press@unccd.int 
                        href="mailto:press@unccd.int">UNCCD Secretariat</A> 
                        </DIV>
                        <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial" align=left><B>Sent:</B> 
                        Wednesday, January 31, 2024 2:00 PM</DIV>
                        <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial" align=left><B>Subject:</B> 
                        UNCCD PRESS RELEASE: Saudi Arabia to host largest-ever 
                        UN conference on land and drought</DIV>
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