The second session of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Ministerial Meeting will take place in Jeddah on January 29. The meeting will bring together 31 regional member countries, alongside the United Kingdom, which will participate as an observer.
The high-level meeting will chair by His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Alfadley, Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, and the Chairperson of the Ministerial Council of the MGI. The meeting will see participation from 31 member countries across Asia and Africa, highlighting the regional momentum behind the initiative. Additionally, the United Kingdom will participate in the proceedings as an official observer.
The upcoming Jeddah meeting underscores the member states' firm commitment to the goals set during the first two Middle East Green Initiative summits. In addition, the meeting signals a pivotal transition for the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) as it moves beyond its foundational stage. Following the establishment of its General Secretariat in Riyadh, the MGI Ministerial Council is expected to adopt key resolutions during this session to launch the initiative's executive phase and kick-start its projects.
The Middle East Green Initiative represents a massive leap toward environmental restoration, aiming to plant 50 billion trees and rehabilitate 200 million hectares of degraded land. This ambitious target accounts for roughly 5% of the global goal for expanding vegetation cover. The initiative contributes actively combat climate change by cutting 670 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions; this represented 10% of global contributions.
Saudi Arabia launched the Middle East Green Initiative at its frist 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.