Desertification threatens the hundreds of millions of migratory birds that cross the world's arid regions twice a year, warned experts at the conference of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), held here Aug. 25 to Sep. 5. The relationship between arid lands and migratory birds requires the cooperation of international agreements that cover the two phenomena, said the conference participants.

With this aim, the UNCCD and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) signed a memorandum that will facilitate joint actions for preserving arid regions.

The UNCCD will incorporate issues related to migratory species in its action programs and will consult with the CMS on decisive aspects in their conservation.