The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasized the importance of strengthened regional collaboration to protect the environment and enhance vegetation cover. This effort aims to boost food and water security, safeguard biodiversity, preserve ecosystems, and promote climate change adaptation. KSA noted that the Green Middle East Initiative is a significant step toward improving regional governance in the fight against desertification, drought, and climate change challenges.
This statement was made by His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, during the first session of the Middle East Green Initiative Ministerial Council in Jeddah. The session, held today, saw participation from more than 29 countries and international organizations.
Al-Fadley highlighted that the initiative, introduced by the Crown Prince in 2021, marks the first regional alliance of its kind, aiming to reduce the impacts of climate change across the Middle East and North Africa. He noted that the final version of the initiative's charter was agreed upon during the founding countries' ministerial meeting in October 2022. Al-Fadley stressed that the Middle East, being one of the regions hardest hit by desertification and drought, requires intensified collective efforts to address these environmental challenges.
The final Ministerial Communiqué for the First Session of the Middle East Green Initiative Ministerial Council was issued. The Ministerial Council approved the MGI Secretariat's organizational structure and its internal policies, appointed the MGI Secretary General, appointed the MGI Fund Trustee, and took several other key decisions to enable the launch of MGI's implementation phase.
The Middle East Green Initiative Ministerial Council extends its deepest gratitude and sincere thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for launching the Middle East Green Initiative during the inaugural summit held in Riyadh on October 25, 2021.
The Ministerial Council reaffirms its commitment to strengthening regional collaboration to combat land degradation, desertification, and drought while mitigating their significant environmental and socio-economic impacts. The Council welcomes the accession of eleven countries as regional members of the Middle East Green Initiative and emphasizes the important role these nations will play in achieving the initiative's ambitious targets. It also calls on other regional countries to join the initiative.
Additionally, the Council welcomes the United Kingdom's accession to the Middle East Green Initiative as a non-regional contributor with observer status. The Council encourages other non-regional countries to participate and underscores their vital role in providing technical and financial support to help achieve regional objectives and address global environmental challenges.
The Ministerial Council highlights the importance of continued efforts by regional member countries to set ambitious future targets and develop policies and national strategies for land rehabilitation and vegetation cover development, aligned with relevant multilateral environmental agreements and conventions. The Council urges member countries to incorporate these national targets into the Middle East Green Initiative's regional framework.
Moreover, the Council stresses the significance of enhancing international multilateral efforts and the vital role of the private sector, financial institutions, and civil society in addressing the global challenges of land degradation, desertification, and drought while supporting regional initiatives.
The Council also commends the landmark resolution adopted during the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in February 2024, which focused on strengthening international efforts to combat land degradation and desertification while enhancing resilience to drought.
In addition, the Council praises the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the World Environment Day celebration on June 5, 2024, in Riyadh. The Council appreciates the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for designating "Our Land, Our Future" as the theme for World Environment Day 2024, which significantly contributes to raising global awareness about the vital ecosystem services provided by various land types and the impacts of land degradation and drought.
The Ministerial Council looks forward to the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which will take place in Riyadh in December 2024. The Council calls on UNCCD parties and representatives from all relevant stakeholders to actively participate in COP16 as the foremost global platform for addressing land degradation and drought challenges.
The Council advocates for support of the COP16 outcomes, aiming to make it a historic turning point in strengthening global efforts to combat land degradation, halt desertification, accelerate land restoration, and enhance drought resilience.
The Council commends the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with regional founding member countries and their representatives in the Executive Committee and Ad-hoc Founding Taskforce, for achieving significant milestones. The progress made thus far has provided the essential components and enablers for launching the initiative's implementation phase. The Ministerial Council reviewed the achievements leading to the completion of the Middle East Green Initiative's foundational phase, including preparations for establishing its Secretariat and launching land rehabilitation projects and activities.
Lastly, the Ministerial Council expresses its gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its hospitality and excellent organization of this first MGI Ministerial Council meeting, marking a major milestone toward enabling the implementation of the initiative and achieving its goals. The Council also thanks His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, KSA's Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, for his leadership as Chairman of the MGI Ministerial Council, along with the honorable members of the Ministerial Council representing the regional member countries for their valuable contributions to the success of this meeting.