SHARM EL-SHEIKH — The leaders stressed the importance of joint work in achieving the desired goals of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), believing in the importance of its goals that would be achieved through concerted efforts and the active contribution of countries in the region.

The second edition of the "Green Middle East Initiative" Summit issued a presidential statement, as follows:

At the joint invitation of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman, the MGI Summit, in its second edition, was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in the presence of a number of leaders of Middle Eastern and African countries and international officials in the environment and climate change sector on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, under the joint Saudi-Egyptian presidency.

The gathered leaders valued the efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia in the field of preserving the environment and limiting the effects of climate change, in particular the two initiatives of Crown Prince Mohammed, the Saudi Arabia Green Initiative, and the Middle East Green Initiative, for their positive impact on the environment in the countries of the region and the world, improving the quality of life, and facing the challenges of climate change.

The leaders valued the efforts of Egypt, and President El-Sisi, for his country's hosting of the second MGI Summit, in conjunction with the holding of the Climate Change Conference (COP27).

The leaders stressed the importance of joint work in achieving the desired goals of the MGI, believing in the importance of its goals that would be achieved through concerted efforts and the active contribution of countries in the region.

The leaders affirmed that the second MGI will contribute to accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and achieving prosperity for the peoples of the member states.

The leaders stressed the importance of achieving climate and environmental goals, adhering to the relevant international conventions approved by the UN, which contributes to achieving the goals of the UN Sustainable Development Organization for the year 2030, and the UN Decade for the Restoration of Ecosystems, and the determination to achieve integration and close coordination among Member States and invest that in raising its collective capacity in facing the challenges of climate change.

The gathered leaders affirmed the commitment of the member states of the initiative to implement their pledges and commitments within the framework of the Paris Agreement and to take the necessary measures to limit the average global temperature rise according to the levels set by the Paris Agreement.

The leaders reiterated the importance of working to enhance support for the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of sustainable development goals, in a way that contributes to economic diversification and poverty eradication.

The leaders emphasized the enhancement of the integration of the optimized energy mix to produce electricity, support for the accommodation of electric grids to enter renewable energy, and the contribution to achieve climate change goals by signing memoranda and electrical interconnection agreements that were signed with many countries in the region such as Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan, and what they will constitute of an extension of cooperation in the electrical interconnection grids with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC).

The leaders affirmed support for efforts to reduce emissions inside and outside the Middle East by signing bilateral and multilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding in the field of clean energy, which will advance and expand cooperation in clean energy and its technologies in this field.

The leaders stressed the importance of joint cooperation to address and manage the challenges arising from greenhouse gas emissions through a holistic approach and various available clean technologies, including the circular carbon economy approach and its four pillars, which represent an integrated and comprehensive framework that countries can benefit from and its applications in their development of climate action plans in line with the national priorities and conditions of each country.

The gathered leaders reiterated their emphasis on enhancing joint action to support efforts to develop modern technologies for use and storage of the carbon capture, and decarbonization technologies, in particular, from energy-intensive and emission-intensive sectors, with promoting investments in this field to contribute to the international effort to address emissions.

The leaders affirmed their commitment to adopt an appropriate national approach to achieve a just transformation of a low-emissions development model capable of adapting to the effects of climate change, based on proven scientific recommendations, responsibilities and agreed principles, foremost of which is equity and justice, and taking into account the national circumstances of each country.

The leaders stressed the importance of joint international action in the field of "clean fuel" solutions to provide food, which contributes to achieve the sustainable development goals in general, and the seventh goal, in particular, which aspires to universal access to reliable and sustainable energy at the most affordable cost.

The leaders expressed their determination to continue cooperation with friendly countries and regional and international organizations to ensure the achievement of the goals of the Green Middle East Summit, and to serve the interests of member states and international partners.

The leaders affirmed their commitment to creating a better future for the generations to come, believing in the importance of the initiative's aspiration for the sustainable development of the region and the preservation and restoration of biodiversity in it for the benefit of the countries and peoples of the whole world.

The leaders reiterated the importance of emphasizing the mobilization and provision of the necessary financing for the MGI, and for all technologies and solutions that contribute to addressing emissions through bilateral, regional and international frameworks. In addition, they welcomed the financing pledges provided by a number of funds, especially the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund for International Development.

The leaders emphasized that implementing the goals of the MGI will contribute to reducing and managing greenhouse gas emissions from all sources, including renewable energy and clean technologies for managing hydrocarbon emissions, and removing millions of tons of carbon emissions through technical and natural solutions.

The leaders renewed their determination to exert efforts to achieve the initiative's goals to reduce land degradation, restore vegetation cover, preserve biodiversity, adapt to climate change and reduce its negative impacts to reduce economic losses, support sustainable development and achieve prosperity.

The leaders renewed their determination to agree to enhance cooperation and support in improving the management of natural resources and combating land degradation and desertification, with a commitment to make joint efforts to enhance water and food security in the face of the negative effects of climate change.

The leaders stressed the importance of cross-border cooperation in various fields, especially with regard to managing vulnerable resources due to the climate change, in a way that enhances joint action frameworks, whether in the bilateral, regional or collective framework.

The gathered leaders called on countries, organizations, relevant regional and international bodies, financing institutions and the private sector to provide financial and technical support for the initiative to enable it to achieve its ambitious goals at the national, regional and international levels.

The gathered leaders expressed their appreciation to Egypt President El-Sisi, and Crown Prince Mohammed for their leadership of these efforts and their joint invitation to host the second MGI Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh and to the government and people of Egypt for their generous hospitality and support for this summit. — SPA