Middle East Green Initiative Strengthens Regional Cooperation To Launch Operational Phase

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia confirmed the start of the operational phase of the Middle East Green Initiative, following the second Ministerial Council meeting in Jeddah. Council members backed new projects to expand vegetation cover, restore degraded land, and address desertification, drought, and climate change. They also agreed measures to deepen regional cooperation and align the initiative with recent global climate and environment outcomes.

The Ministerial Council adopted decisions that support immediate implementation of Middle East Green Initiative projects in member countries. These decisions include renewed commitments to combat land degradation, halt desertification, and strengthen resilience to drought. The council also endorsed cooperation with 35 technical and financial institutions and agreed Saudi Arabia will continue chairing the Ministerial Council in 2026, before a rotating system begins in 2027.

The second Ministerial Council meeting was held in Jeddah, with 30 member states from Asia and Africa attending, alongside the United Kingdom as a non-regional observer. Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, who chairs the council’s second session, announced the transition from the foundational stage to the operational phase and highlighted preparations for launching large-scale projects across regional member states.

In a speech issued through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Alfadley called for stronger regional cooperation to rehabilitate degraded lands and tackle desertification. Alfadley stressed that restoring damaged soils and expanding vegetation cover is essential for confronting drought and land degradation in the region. Alfadley urged member countries to intensify joint efforts and share expertise to deliver results on the ground.

Abdulrahman Alfadley welcomed the new member countries and described their accession as a crucial step toward achieving the initiative’s targets. Alfadley praised regional efforts to meet national goals that aim to plant more than 37 billion trees and restore 92 million hectares of degraded land. Alfadley highlighted current progress, with 3.5 billion trees planted and 550,000 hectares already rehabilitated in participating states.

The Ministerial Council communiqué confirmed that these early achievements show ongoing commitment to national and regional greening aims. It also underlined that the operational phase will prioritise expanding vegetation cover, restoring degraded lands, and improving adaptation to climate change impacts. Member states recognised that coordinated planning and monitoring will be needed to maintain momentum as projects move from design to implementation.

The council welcomed the accession of the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and the Syrian Arab Republic as new regional members of the Middle East Green Initiative. Their membership raises the number of regional member states to 34, in addition to the United Kingdom as a non-regional observer, and the council noted that further accessions are expected.

Members agreed that Saudi Arabia will continue chairing the Middle East Green Initiative Ministerial Council in 2026, helping complete the institutional structure of the General Secretariat and preparing land rehabilitation projects in regional countries. From 2027, the chairpersonship will rotate between Africa and Asia on a continental basis, starting with Africa, with countries taking the role in English alphabetical order.

The Ministerial Council expressed deep appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their strong support for the Middle East Green Initiative. Members also thanked Abdulrahman Alfadley for organising the second Ministerial Council meeting and steering the initiative’s development.

The council congratulated Eng. Ibrahim Alturki on appointment as Secretary-General of the Middle East Green Initiative. Members reviewed reports from the Executive Committee and the Secretary-General, which detailed key achievements during the foundational phase. These included approval of the Country Host Agreement, signature of the Fund Trustee Agreement with the Islamic Development Bank, and delivery of capacity-building and knowledge-sharing activities for member states.

The reports also highlighted the signing of several memoranda of understanding with international organisations, creating channels for technical cooperation and finance. On the sidelines of the Ministerial Council meeting, the Middle East Green Initiative Fund Secretariat Agreement was signed between the initiative’s General Secretariat and the Islamic Development Bank. Under this agreement, the bank will manage the fund to support the operational phase and project implementation.

Middle East Green Initiative climate action links and international outcomes

The council praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for coordinating closely with regional member countries and their representatives on the Executive Committee. Members noted Saudi Arabia’s support in equipping the General Secretariat and covering its operational budget. They also welcomed recent progress in securing the institutional and financial enablers needed to move from planning to implementation across the region.

Council members stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships with regional and international organisations, and recognised the contributions of the private sector, financial institutions, and civil society. These partners are seen as essential in addressing land degradation, desertification, and drought, while reducing climate change impacts and improving quality of life. The council formally approved 35 regional and international technical and financial organisations for cooperation.

The Ministerial Council congratulated Saudi Arabia on the success of the Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in Riyadh from 2 to 13 December 2024. The council said COP16 represented a turning point in mobilising global support for the convention and in reinforcing multilateral cooperation on land degradation and drought challenges.

Members encouraged regional Middle East Green Initiative countries to participate actively in future UNCCD Conferences of the Parties and to continue taking a leading role in applying the convention’s objectives. They emphasised the importance of accelerating land restoration, halting desertification, enhancing drought resilience, and raising international momentum to address related environmental, social, and economic effects across vulnerable regions.

The council welcomed COP16 outcomes, including the Riyadh Declaration and initiatives announced by Saudi Arabia such as the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, the International Initiative on Early Warning of Sand and Dust Storms, and the Business for Land Initiative. Members also endorsed the Riyadh Action Agenda, designed to move from ambition to action through concrete pledges and programmes.

Under the Riyadh Action Agenda, around 40 initiatives were launched by countries, international organisations, private sector entities, and civil society groups. These initiatives aim to deliver long-term solutions for land restoration, sustainable land management, support for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and improved drought adaptation. The council viewed these efforts as closely aligned with the Middle East Green Initiative’s objectives.

The Ministerial Council commended Saudi Arabia’s leadership during its COP16 presidency in promoting stronger links between the three Rio Conventions. It also noted Brazil’s focus on land protection and restoration during its presidency of COP30 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Belém, Brazil, from 10 to , which led to the launch of the Resilient Agriculture Investment for Net Zero Land Degradation initiative and the Tropical Forests Forever Facility.

Members welcomed the COP30 decision to increase adaptation finance by 2035, expressing hope that additional resources would support nature-based solutions, especially projects that speed up land restoration and reinforce drought resilience. The council also noted the outcomes of the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, which support wider international efforts to address environmental challenges.

The leadership of Middle East Green Initiative member countries at the global level was recognised, particularly the Sultanate of Oman’s presidency of UNEA-7, following the Kingdom of Morocco’s presidency of UNEA-6 in 2024. The council further welcomed the Arab Coordination Group’s announcement of a 12 billion dollar allocation by 2030 for worldwide projects to restore degraded lands and build resilience to drought and desertification, and underlined the initiative’s role as a platform for major environmental projects.

Through these decisions, partnerships, and governance steps, the Middle East Green Initiative is positioned to shift from planning to practical delivery. With Saudi Arabia’s continued chairpersonship, an expanding membership base, and new financing mechanisms, member states aim to restore vast areas of land, increase vegetation cover, and strengthen regional responses to desertification, drought, and climate change.

With inputs from SPA