The Director General of the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), Dr. Nasr al-Din Al-Obeid, met with the President of the University of Damascus, Dr. Mustafa Saem al-Dahr, to discuss activating joint cooperation and developing research capacities in sustainable agricultural and environmental fields in Syria and the Arab region. Al-Obeid reviewed ACSAD’s projects and programs implemented in Syria and Arab countries in cooperation with regional and international organizations, emphasizing the importance of activities related to plant production, livestock development, rehabilitation of degraded lands, breeding new varieties of wheat and barley, fruit tree cultivation, and integrated water resources management to achieve sustainable development goals.

He expressed ACSAD’s desire to expand cooperation with the University of Damascus and support joint research projects that contribute to enhancing food security and addressing climate change challenges, stressing the importance of continuous consultation to achieve tangible results serving comprehensive development. For his part, Dr. Saem al-Dahr emphasized the university’s keenness to develop its scientific partnerships with Arab and international organizations, especially ACSAD, due to its expertise in agricultural and environmental research, pointing out the need to expand cooperation fields to include exchanging expertise and qualifying academic staff. It is worth noting that ACSAD was established in 1968 and is headquartered in Damascus; it is one of the Arab League specialized organizations working to address challenges related to water scarcity, desertification, and land degradation in Arab countries. The University of Damascus is the largest and oldest university in Syria and a major center for scientific research in various fields.

Cooperation between the two sides is not new, as joint projects have previously been implemented in the fields of improved seed production and water resources management.