RIYADH: The Saudi-backed Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) has strengthened its environmental partnership with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating land restoration and tackling desertification across the Middle East.
The agreement was signed in Riyadh on Monday under the patronage of Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, who also chairs the MGI Ministerial Council and serves as President of the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UNCCD.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the MoU was formally endorsed by MGI Secretary-General Ibrahim Alturki and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad at the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
The partnership establishes a comprehensive framework to strengthen regional and international collaboration in addressing environmental degradation.
It focuses on restoring degraded land, expanding vegetation cover and promoting the sustainable management of natural resources across the region.
As part of the agreement, both organisations will work together in key areas including information exchange, technical cooperation, capacity building and knowledge sharing to support vegetation development and combat land degradation.
The collaboration also aims to increase environmental awareness among member states of the Middle East Green Initiative while reinforcing international partnerships.
This includes closer coordination with the G20 Global Land Initiative, launched by Saudi Arabia during its presidency of the G20 in 2020, to advance global efforts against desertification.
Officials said the two sides will jointly develop environmental programmes and projects while seeking technical expertise and financial support to implement initiatives that restore ecosystems, improve vegetation cover and enhance regional resilience to climate-related challenges.
The agreement is expected to contribute not only to the strategic objectives of the Middle East Green Initiative but also to broader international efforts aimed at protecting biodiversity, restoring degraded landscapes and ensuring the long-term sustainability of natural resources.
Launched by Saudi Arabia in 2021, the Middle East Green Initiative serves as a regional platform for environmental cooperation, promoting climate action, land restoration and ecological sustainability.
It also supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 environmental ambitions by encouraging partnerships that reduce land degradation, expand green spaces and safeguard natural ecosystems for future generations.
