RIYADH — The Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley chaired Sunday the ministerial meeting to approve the Middle East Green Initiative governance charter.

The ministers and officials from 20 countries from the continents of Asia and Africa, and a number of international and regional organizations participated in the meeting, which took place in Riyadh.

The minister said that the meeting is an important step to activate the MEGI through framing the joint work of the countries in the region by protecting of environment, achieving the ambitious targets of the MEGI and contributing to the economic development of the region.

Al-Fadley added that the preparation of MEGI governance charter went through several stages starting with the drafting of the first draft of the initiative’s scope and governance, and then bilateral meetings with many countries in the region.

Last September, representatives of 18 countries discussed the final version of the initiative’s charter and its proposed governance to be presented today for approval in preparation for the second MEGI summit next November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

Al-Fadley affirmed that we will achieve the objectives of Middle East Green Initiative by active participation of all countries and partners and to achieve development goals the efforts must be aligning, intensifying and unifying at the national, regional and international levels.

He is looking forward to the establishment of the MEGI general secretariat to launch the implementation aspect of the initiative after adopting the final version of the initiative governance charter.

The Deputy Minister for Environment, Dr. Osama Faqeeha, confirmed the Middle East Green Initiative aims for international cooperation to address common challenges, knowledge exchange and setting a roadmap for action.

He added the initiative has many goals such as reducing land degradation, restoring vegetation cover, biodiversity and promoting adaptation. Furthermore, earmarking financial support for MGI projects.

Dr. Faqeeha noted the importance of enhancing private sector participation in all activities of the initiative. He pointed out that the member countries with relevant entities and private sectors will establish a fund for the initiative. It is led by a committee of donors that finance the fund.

“More than 3 billion people undermined by land degradation and the cost of ecosystem services lost through land degradation is over $6 trillion /year. The land degradation will threaten up to 46% of species threatened with extinction by 2050. Over 70% of ice-free terrestrial ecosystems have been transformed from their natural state for human use,” Dr. Faqeeha added.

Dr. Faqeeha said the governance framework for the initiative was designed based on four main principles that are collaborative and inclusive oversight, national, regional, and international linkages, accountability and transparency and science-based decision-making.

The UNCCD Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Ibrahim Thiaw said that the leadership of Saudi Arabia on land restoration is undeniable. He also referred to the effects of land degradation.

“We are truly looking forward to the next Conference of the Parties of the UNCCD to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2024 “ Thiaw added.

At the end of the meeting, Al-Fadley announced the ministerial approval for MEGI governance charter and scope of the initiative. The charter will provide a strong framework for regional cooperation to reduce land degradation, restore vegetation cover, biodiversity and promote adaptation and food security and social wellbeing.

The charter is an important building block to activate the initiative and achieve Sustainable Development Goals.” — SPA