At the invitation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) is participating in the Arab Environment Forum, which will be held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on June 3-4, 2024, under the theme “Restore Land to Build Resilience”. The event is organised by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, in cooperation with the UNEP.
Prof. Waleed Zubari, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies (CGS), will lead a keynote session on initiatives to rehabilitate terrestrial ecosystems. The session is part of the Arab Environment Forum’s third session, which will bring together high-level representatives and specialists from Arab countries, as well as representatives from the UNEP and other relevant regional organisations.
The forum aims to enrich the discussion and outcomes by bringing together key partners from government agencies, regional research and academic institutions, civil society organisations, the youth, and women. Furthermore, the event reflects all categories of key partners and ensures a review of the challenges, opportunities, and solutions that enhance the progress of the Arab region towards sustainable development while preserving the environment.
The session chaired by Prof. Zubari will focus on international, regional, and national initiatives to rehabilitate terrestrial ecosystems. The discussion will shed light on international and regional initiatives and how to benefit from them. The role of regional and Arab cooperation and partnership with the private sector and civil society in restoring terrestrial ecosystems will also be highlighted during the session.
Moreover, participants will discuss the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Arab initiatives for the rehabilitation of terrestrial ecosystems, cooperation and regional initiatives to reduce sand and dust storms, as well as the role of civil society organisations accredited by the UNEP in West Asia.
It’s worth noting that the holding of the forum is in response to a decision by the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), which approved the establishment of the Arab Environment Forum and assigned the Technical Secretariat to coordinate with Arab and international institutions.
The Arab Environment Forum is a joint initiative between the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the UNEP West Asia Office, aiming to discuss and develop technical recommendations on emerging or urgent environmental issues and topics for the Arab region. It will also serve as a regional link to enable Arab countries to unify their visions and support their role internationally in participating in setting the global environmental agenda.
The forum’s sessions aim to exchange experiences and information in relevant fields, identify potential cooperation partnerships between key actors, and establish a regional dialogue between relevant stakeholders. It will also provide a periodic platform for dialogue between various stakeholders, including policy makers and international experts in various environmental fields.