Wang Wenbiao (L, center), chairman of Elion Group, and Abdenbi Bioui (R, center), president of the Oriental Regional Council, attend the signing ceremony in Oujda, Morocco, on Oct. 11, 2018. China Elion Resources Group signed on Thursday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the Oriental Region of Morocco in Oujda to curb desertification in that region. (Xinhua/Chen Binjie)

RABAT, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- China Elion Resources Group signed on Thursday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the Oriental Region of Morocco in Oujda to curb desertification in that region.

Wang Wenbiao, chairman of Elion Group, said that Elion's ecological experience of prevention and control of desertification gained in its 30-year management of the Kubuqi Desert in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

It has formed a "four-wheel driving model" of "sand control, ecology, industry and poverty alleviation," which is suitable for the climate, geography and social environment of the eastern region of Morocco.

Wang added that Morocco is the first station to promote Elion's ecological model in African countries.

Elion hopes to strengthen cooperation with the countries and regions along the Belt and Road in desertification control and poverty alleviation.

At the signing ceremony, Abdenbi Bioui, president of the Oriental Regional Council, said that Elion Group has rich experience in the management of the Kubuqi Desert, which has brought new hopes for the prevention and control of desertification in the Oriental Region.

Elion's ecological experience is meaningful to many African regions, he added.

Bioui invited Elion Group to participate in the project of building a 500-kilometer green sand control belt in the Oriental Region.

Elion Group has drawn wide attention with its effective management of the Kubuqi Desert.

In December 2017, Wang Wenbiao was awarded by the United Nations Environment Program with the highest honor in the field of global environmental protection.