Aboul Gheit: Arab-British Economic Summit Presents Opportunity to Boost Bilateral Cooperation

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Aboul Gheit: Arab-British Economic Summit Presents Opportunity to Boost Bilateral Cooperation

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit underscored on Monday the significance of the third Arab-British Economic Summit in enhancing economic cooperation between the two sides.

He called for an intensification of British investment in the region.

During his address at the opening of the third edition of the 2023 Arab-British Economic Summit in London, he underlined the deep-rooted ties between the United Kingdom and Arab countries.

These ties are a valuable foundation for strengthening mutual cooperation, especially in light of the significant opportunities presented by the developmental plan launched by Britain post-Brexit, in addition to Arab economic plans and initiatives encompassing developmental projects, he added.

According to a statement from the Arab League in Cairo, Aboul Gheit explained that Arab-British trade remains crucial despite facing substantial competition from both traditional and emerging economic powers.

The trade volume amounted to $57 billion by the end of 2021.

The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Union of Arab Chambers, organized the third edition of the Arab-British Economic Summit under the theme “Sustaining an Emerging Vision.”

The summit aims to focus on expanding cooperation between the two sides across various sectors and industries.



‘Saudi Green Initiative’ to Integrate All Environmental Projects

One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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‘Saudi Green Initiative’ to Integrate All Environmental Projects

One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia plans to integrate all existing environmental projects and programs from the public, private, and non-profit sectors into the “Saudi Green Initiative,” sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
This effort aims to meet the Kingdom’s environmental goals.
The Saudi Green Initiative, launched by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in March 2021, aims to support global climate goals and help Saudi Arabia achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 through a circular carbon economy.
The government has directed relevant committees to catalog existing environmental projects that could support the initiative’s goals and integrate them based on set criteria.
All sectors have been asked to report past tree-planting activities to the national afforestation program.
Saudi Arabia aims to plant 10 billion trees, rehabilitating 74 million hectares of degraded land. This effort seeks to restore ecological functions, improve air quality, reduce sandstorms, preserve biodiversity, and combat desertification.
Since its launch, the initiative has planted 43.9 million trees and rehabilitated 94,000 hectares of land.
This progress supports the goal of planting 10 billion trees over the coming decades.
Over 40 ongoing projects aim to plant more than 600 million trees and rehabilitate 8 million hectares of land by 2030.
In October 2023, a detailed two-year feasibility study was revealed, aimed at enhancing vegetation nationwide with over 1,150 field surveys conducted with expert collaboration.
Tree planting and land rehabilitation projects will begin in various locations, including mangroves, wetlands, mountain forests, grasslands, national parks, and valleys.
The plan will be executed in two phases: the first, lasting until the end of the decade, will focus on nature-based rehabilitation; the second, starting in 2030, will use a comprehensive approach, applying lessons from the first phase.
Rehabilitation efforts will create jobs, combat desertification, reduce sandstorm impacts, and improve the quality of life for residents.
Urban areas will benefit from increased tree density, helping to lower temperatures and improve air quality.