The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) announced the inclusion of the Farasan Islands Reserve in the Ramsar Convention List of Wetlands of International Importance, making it the first Saudi marine reserve to be officially registered under the convention.
This achievement marks a major milestone in the Kingdom’s efforts to protect ecosystems, preserve natural resources and habitats, enrich biodiversity, and boost its presence in international environmental agreements, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, SPA reported.
Listing the Farasan Islands Reserve comes one year after the Kingdom joined the Ramsar Convention in 2024, represented by NCW, as part of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to conserving biodiversity, restoring highly sensitive environmental habitats, and supporting global efforts to safeguard terrestrial and coastal ecosystems.
NCW CEO Dr. Mohammad Qurban said: “The listing represents a strategic milestone in the Kingdom’s environmental trajectory, reflecting the scale of institutional progress achieved in the protection of wetlands and the conservation of migratory waterbirds in line with international practices. It also highlights the Kingdom’s efforts to maximize the environmental sector’s impact, strengthen its economic and social benefits, and advance cooperation at the national, regional, and international levels to support global sustainable development goals.”
He noted that this accomplishment underscores environmental sustainability and the application of nature-based solutions, enhancing the Kingdom’s ability to address various environmental and climate challenges.
The Farasan Islands Reserve is one of the most significant natural sites in the Red Sea, home to diverse ecosystems including coral reefs, mangroves, and estuaries. It also serves as a habitat for rare and endangered species and is a major stopover for migratory waterbirds across continents.
