Middle East Green Initiative Ministerial Council Begins Second Session In Jeddah With 31 Countries Participating

The second session of the Ministerial Council of the Middle East Green Initiative will convene in Jeddah on Thursday. Delegates are expected to move the initiative from preparation into practical implementation. The gathering will focus on turning earlier commitments into concrete regional climate and environmental projects.

The council will be chaired by Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, who currently heads the body. Representatives from 31 member states across Asia and Africa will attend, while the United Kingdom will join as an observer. Participants will review previous agreements and reaffirm shared climate responsibilities.

The Jeddah meeting signals the end of the initiative’s initial foundation stage and the start of implementation. The General Secretariat, now established in Riyadh, will support this shift. Council members are expected to approve key decisions that launch flagship projects across participating states.

Saudi Arabia first announced the Middle East Green Initiative at a summit in Riyadh in October 2021. A second summit in Sharm El Sheikh in November 2022 confirmed further steps. At that meeting, the Kingdom pledged financial support, agreed to host the secretariat in Riyadh, and committed to cover operational expenses for 10 years.

The initiative sets large-scale environmental targets for the region. Plans include planting 50 billion trees and restoring 200 million hectares of degraded land within member countries. These restoration efforts represent an estimated 5% of global vegetation recovery goals, giving the initiative international environmental significance.

The Middle East Green Initiative also supports efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 670 million tons. This figure represents around 10% of expected global contributions to emission reductions. Planned actions aim to improve air quality, reduce soil erosion, protect wildlife habitats and ease climate impacts across the region.

Middle East Green Initiative commitments of participating states

Member states have already endorsed directives and pledges from the two earlier summits. Leaders stressed joint work on climate mitigation projects, expansion of vegetation cover and protection of biodiversity. The initiative encourages shared regional responsibility, linking Asian and African participants through coordinated environmental programmes and Saudi-led institutional support.

Decisions taken during Thursday’s session in Jeddah are expected to define how these goals move forward. By confirming governance, funding and flagship projects, the council will shape implementation across member countries. The outcome will guide long-term regional cooperation on climate, land restoration and environmental protection, with Riyadh continuing as the central hub.

With inputs from SPA