Jeddah: The second session of the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) took place in Jeddah, chaired by Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, who is also chairperson of the current session of the council. The session saw the participation of 31 regional member countries, alongside the United Kingdom as an observer, as well as many international organizations and institutions.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Arabia has underscored the vital importance of unifying global efforts to confront environmental challenges, enhancing to rehabilitate degraded land, expand vegetation cover, and secure a sustainable quality of life for future generations.
In his opening remarks, Alfadley welcomed four new member states-Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Syria. "This meeting represents a critical step in finalizing joint efforts between member states and establishing the initiative's permanent Secretariat in Riyadh," Alfadley stated. He pointed out that total commitments for planting trees have surpassed 22 billion, bolstered by the accession of new member states. He also congratulated Eng. Ibrahim Alturki on his appointment as the Secretary General of MGI.
Alfadley highlighted that the Kingdom has undergone a comprehensive environmental transformation as part of its vision for sustainability. This progress was driven by the adoption of the National Environment Strategy, the establishment of specialized environmental centers, and the launch of pioneering initiatives-most notably the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which aims to rehabilitate 40 million hectares of land.
These efforts delivered tangible results, including the planting of over 151 million trees and the total area of natural reserves to exceed 18% of the Kingdom's land, with a target of 30% by 2030. Furthermore, the Kingdom has achieved a qualitative leap in waste recycling, meteorological services, climate studies, wildlife conservation, and environmental compliance.
In his closing remarks, the minister expressed gratitude to the member states for their attendance and participation in this meeting. He expressed his hope that their collective efforts would lead to resolutions that strengthen the work toward protecting the environment.
Saudi Arabia launched the Middle East Green Initiative at its first summit in Riyadh in October 2021. At the second summit, held in Sharm El Sheikh in November 2022, the Kingdom announced a financial grant to support the initiative, confirmed that Riyadh would host its General Secretariat, and committed to covering all operational costs for the next decade.