(Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2025) HANGZHOU, 30th September, 2025 (WAM) – The 37th session of UNESCO’s International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves concluded in Hangzhou, China, with the participation of the Fujairah Environment Authority and more than 4,000 delegates from over 150 countries.
The session showcased international experiences in integrating the principles of the MAB Programme into sustainable development policies and reviewed nominations for new biosphere reserves. The ArabMAB Network, chaired by the United Arab Emirates, presented its key achievements during its 2023–2025 mandate, including specialised workshops hosted in Fujairah to strengthen the capacity of Arab states in managing and preparing biosphere reserve nominations.
During the congress, 26 new reserves were added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, including five from the Arab region: Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Reserve, Jordan’s Ajloun and Yarmouk Reserves, and Oman’s Green Mountain and Al Sareen Reserves.
Asayla Abdullah Al Mualla, Director of the Fujairah Environment Authority and Chair of the ArabMAB Executive Committee, hailed the inclusion of the five Arab reserves as a “historic milestone” for the region. She affirmed that the achievement reflects years of collaborative work, capacity-building programmes, and interactive workshops held in Fujairah, which supported Arab reserve managers in preparing nomination files and adopting effective conservation strategies.
She added that the ArabMAB Network remains committed to strengthening regional and global partnerships, ensuring biosphere reserves continue to contribute to sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
