Saudi Arabia to Organize Int'l Forum on Afforestation Techniques

Saudi Arabia will host the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies from May 29-31. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia will host the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies from May 29-31. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia to Organize Int'l Forum on Afforestation Techniques

Saudi Arabia will host the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies from May 29-31. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia will host the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies from May 29-31. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia will host the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies in Riyadh from May 29-31, under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The Forum is organized by the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) in coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Environment. It will be held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The Forum seeks to develop, protect, and sustain the vegetation cover according to Vision 2030.

Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NCVC Abdulrahman al-Fadhli extended his appreciation to the Crown Prince for patronizing the event.

The Minister stressed that organizing this event is important to Saudi Arabia for its intensified efforts and increasing attention to the vegetation cover.

He noted that it is also the central pillar of the National Environment Strategy that represents a roadmap to realize the goals of Vision 2030 in protecting and developing the environment.

The forum confirms the Kingdom’s international pioneering role in the environmental field and its announcements of global ecological initiatives that seek to establish vegetation cover.

NCVC CEO Khaled Al-Abdulkader explained that the exhibition and Forum include several comprehensive and integral aspects of forestry and technologies for combating desertification.

These include afforestation, combating desertification, irrigation techniques, water sources and technologies, nurseries, environmental waste recycling, soils, environmental monitoring and protection, development and investment of forests and parks, and plant pest control.

He added that the exhibition seeks to provide a platform to encourage government and semi-government institutions, non-profit commissions, companies, and organizations to become targeted stakeholders to combat desertification and increase vegetation cover area.

It will welcome local and international companies to display the latest technology and innovation in combating desertification, mitigating its effects, and developing and protecting vegetation.

It will also build bridges of communication between experts, significant investors, company heads, decision-makers, technical solution providers and academics, researchers specializing in the environment sector, and climate experts.

The expo welcomes experts in climate and participants getting acquainted with models for success worldwide to benefit from them and attract international expertise suitable for the environment.

The International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies aims to achieve a set of investment objectives, including highlighting investment opportunities in the environmental sector.

It also seeks to conclude several agreements and memoranda of understanding and launch local and research partnerships with local, regional, and international universities with research centers.



Future Investment Initiative Conference Gathers Global Decision-Makers in Riyadh

One of the dialogue sessions of the Future Investment Initiative in its previous edition (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the dialogue sessions of the Future Investment Initiative in its previous edition (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Future Investment Initiative Conference Gathers Global Decision-Makers in Riyadh

One of the dialogue sessions of the Future Investment Initiative in its previous edition (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the dialogue sessions of the Future Investment Initiative in its previous edition (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Riyadh is set to launch the eighth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference on Monday.
This year’s event carries the theme, “Infinite Horizons... Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow” and will feature prominent figures in finance, investment, and technology.
Through its annual conference, often called the “Davos of the Desert,” the Future Investment Initiative aims to foster discussions on how investment can drive a prosperous and sustainable future, expanding the possibilities for humanity.
The conference is expected to attract over 7,000 guests and 500 speakers, covering a wide range of current topics across more than 200 sessions. Key areas of focus include economic stability, equitable development, climate change, artificial intelligence, innovation, health, and geopolitical issues.
Among those looking to leverage projects aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 are David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, and Larry Fink of BlackRock, which recently agreed to establish a multi-asset investment platform in Riyadh, backed by a $5 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. This year, the conference will also host the New Africa Summit, featuring speakers from Africa’s mining and banking sectors.
Reflecting Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on technology and artificial intelligence, industry leaders in these fields will participate in the event. Notably, Alphabet President Ruth Porat, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, and tech entrepreneur Benjamin Horowitz, co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, are scheduled to speak for the first time.
According to Richard Attias, CEO of the Future Investment Initiative, executives worldwide are expected to announce deals exceeding $28 billion. Some of these initiatives will focus on artificial intelligence, including a new potential fund with Andreessen Horowitz that could grow to $40 billion, as reported by Bloomberg.
The Kingdom is also expected to announce a new company that will invest at least $10 billion in making Saudi Arabia the world’s largest producer of hydrogen—a low-carbon fuel critical for the global transition away from fossil fuels. Key speakers from Asia will include Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Belt and Road Commissioner Nicholas Ho.
On the eve of the event, Swiss entrepreneur and FII participant Stephan Knuser told Asharq Al-Awsat that the conference will provide significant business insights for both local and international communities, anticipating that new partnerships will form between Swiss and Saudi companies in energy-efficient technologies and food security.
Neil Bush, Chairman of Sky Towers, remarked: “We view FII as not only a driver for attracting capital but also for bringing in technologies that accelerate Saudi Arabia’s goals.” According to Bush, the FII topics align with needs like business registration processes, free trade zone policies, and strategies for developing industrial complexes, which will help accelerate Vision 2030 goals, including carbon reduction.