Latest
Photo
12 August 2023
UN Youth Cafe
Learn more
Story
18 June 2023
2023 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought marks preparation for the upcoming UNCCD COP 16 in Saudi Arabia
Learn more
Story
02 June 2023
New ICRISAT-FAO Partnership to Support Saudi Arabia's Quest for Boosting Cereal Production
Learn more
Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Saudi Arabia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Saudi Arabia:
Story
02 July 2023
2023 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought marks preparation for the upcoming UNCCD COP 16 in Saudi Arabia
Empowering women in combating desertification and drought is a critical call for sustainable land management and restoration and directly affects the productive capacity of the ecosystems. Desertification and drought are the major global challenges threatening the livelihoods of millions of people, particularly those living in arid and semi-arid regions. These challenges are exacerbated by climate change, land degradation, and unsustainable land use practices.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) with participation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a special event to mark World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on Sunday, 18 June 2023 at the Mövenpick Qassim. With the World Day’s slogan "Her lands, Her rights”, the event was graced by His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Qasim Region which was hosted in a hybrid mode combining in-person and virtual participation.
Saudi Arabia’s remarkable commitment to combating desertification
Opening the event, His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal highlighted the imperative role women play in protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. The Royal Highness Prince, Governor of Qassim Region was proud that Qassim is one of the regions in the Kingdom where the community has been actively involved in protecting the environment and conserving natural resources and elaborated on the region's afforestation efforts, starting way back in 2017. Under the banner of “Qasim Green Land”, the community continues the efforts of planting trees, rehabilitating land, and caring for the environment. He strongly emphasized the importance of empowering women in these efforts and engaging all members of the community, including youth, and integrating education on environmental protection into the school curriculum. Further, he stressed the need for a robust awareness programme, noting that without good communication and awareness, these efforts are doomed to fail.
Dr. Khaled Al-Abdulkader, the CEO of the NCVC, in his opening speech, pointed up that the celebration of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought underpins the commitment of the Kingdom to addressing the two pressing natural hazards. In the same line of thought, he turned the spotlight on the importance of engaging the community and creating awareness across the Kingdom, demonstrating solidarity with the global community, in which the Kingdom is at the forefront of combating desertification and addressing drought. The efforts have been validated through the launch of the Kingdom’s ambitious initiatives - the “Saudi Green Initiative” and “Middle East Green Initiative”, by His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in developing and sustaining vegetation cover and combating desertification locally, regionally and globally and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture with NCVC leading role in upcoming UNCCD COP 16, which will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in December 2024. Through various significant actions, NCVC has successfully led the Kingdom on the right path to combat desertification and land degradation and achieved the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 15 and SDG 13.
Women are the agents of change
“It is time for all institutions and members of the society to join forces in restoring the land and managing drought”, says Ayman Omer, FAO Saudi Arabia’s Programme Director in his opening speech. He drew all attention to the importance of gender inclusiveness and investment in related programmes to attract women’s active and effective involvement. He felicitated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its pioneering role in the global initiative in reducing land degradation and promoting the preservation of terrestrial habitats through the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives. He further commended the great efforts made by NCVC and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in promoting sustainable management of natural resources and environment protection through dedicated and well-resourced national environmental strategies and plans.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Buraiki, the General Director of Plant Diversity and Combating Desertification underscored the urgency of the NCVC in bridging the gap between desertification and drought. He emphasized the need to involve the local men and women to achieve efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems and to promote sustainable development in the areas for better livelihood and economy. In line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, Dr. Al-Buraiki emphasized that NCVC prioritizes the study of desertification, forecasting droughts and mitigating strategies, using scientific methods, field measurements and artificial intelligence to produce accurate forecast models in monitoring the development progress effectively.
Thematic presentation and dialogue on the theme “Her lands, Her rights”
This annual year event was organized in alignment with the World Day theme “Her land, Her rights”. The event was attended by 200 participants and brought together governmental organizations, universities, researchers, and UN agencies in addressing Saudi women’s important issues. Twelve presentations in three sessions, eight of which were delivered by women, focused on updated Saudi Arabia policies and legislations in empowering women, investment opportunities for women land ownership, and opportunities for women landowners in combating desertification. The results of the event will contribute to the efficient mainstreaming of gender plans, community awareness programmes development, and women empowerment and access to resources, finance, training and support to help them manage and use their land effectively.
FAO Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development Project
FAO technical support to the event was organized within the framework of the Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development Project (SRADP), a multi-disciplinary project formulated by FAO and the Ministry of Environment Water and Agriculture in alignment with the National Transformation Program under the Saudi Vision 2030. FAO through SRADP aims to contribute toward achieving the national development goal of sustainable rural agricultural development in the Kingdom, including combating land desertification under the natural resources management pillar of the project.
1 of 5

Story
06 June 2023
New ICRISAT-FAO Partnership to Support Saudi Arabia's Quest for Boosting Cereal Production
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have joined forces to enhance the productivity of millet and sesame crops in Saudi Arabia.
This collaboration, which supports the desert nation’s ambitions toward achieving greater advancement in food production, will also promote economic diversification, conservation, and the use and application of digital tools to tackle unique challenges in the face of limited natural resources, particularly water.
Despite only 3% of the agricultural land being irrigated by rainfall, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has overcome tremendous obstacles in recent years to convert 0.8 million hectares of agricultural land into productive fields.
Building on this success, the joint initiative between ICRISAT, FAO, and the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, will focus on increasing the productivity of three vital dryland crops—sorghum, pearl millet, and sesame—by up to 20% in the regions of Mecca, Jazan, Aseer and Al-Baha.
Collectively these regions currently produce 170,000 tons of sorghum, 4,800 tons of pearl millet, and 4,000 tons of sesame across 70,000 hectares, with efficiency and yields to be expanded under the new initiative for smallholders in the KSA who have been cultivating these crops using traditional agricultural practices.
The project will also establish five community seed banks with the support of ICRISAT’s Genebank to preserve local crop diversity while building the capacity of smallholder farmers, extension agents, and researchers in the region.
In addition, comprehensive support will be extended through the pioneering mobile crop advisory app 'Plantix,' which will be localized in Arabic, empowering farmers with essential guidance in addition to the development of new digital technologies to combat the challenges posed by pests and diseases.
Dr Ashok Kumar from ICRISAT and Coordinator of the Project, said that the Institute’s expertise would help in selecting the best crop varieties for the targeted regions.
“Our team has identified 15-20 varieties of rainfed cereals with good yields in Sudan, which has similar conditions to Saudi Arabia, and this knowledge will be used to streamline efforts and select the most suitable varieties for targeted regions,” said Dr Ashok Kumar.
ICRISAT Director General, Dr Jacqueline Hughes applauded the collaboration and said the Institute was delighted to be sharing its fifty years of expertise in dryland agri-food systems with the Government of Saudi Arabia and the FAO to help the nation achieve greater self-sufficiency in food production.
“We understand the reliance of Saudi Arabia on imported cereal grains due to limited domestic production, however, by bridging the gap between international drylands expertise and local resources, we can bolster domestic production for enhanced food independence,” said Dr Hughes.
Dr Kakoli Ghosh, Chief Technical Advisor, FAO-Saudi Arabia, said that the disruption to the global food chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had drawn attention to the need for self-reliance in food grains.
"ICRISAT's multi-disciplinary expertise in the drylands of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa is highly valued and appreciated in the effort towards achieving sustainable rural development in Saudi Arabia," said Dr Ghosh.
Dr Arvind Kumar, ICRISAT’s Deputy Director General of Research concluded that he looked forward to seeing the collaboration channel the full potential of scientific advances and innovations developed at ICRISAT to forge a new pathway for millet and sesame production in Saudi Arabia and hoped the project would segue into new areas in which ICRISAT could demonstrate its impact.
The 3-year project: ‘Development of Rainfed Cereal Production in Saudi Arabia’ is led by the International Crops Research for the Semi-Arid Tropics with support from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Saudi Arabia, and the FAO Saudi Arabia.
1 of 5

Story
25 May 2023
The 4th Arab Competition Forum kicks off in Riyadh
To support efforts of policymakers in strengthening competition policies at the national level and stimulate cooperation among competition authorities in the region, the 4th Arab Competition Forum kicked off today in Riyadh.
The Forum, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in collaboration with the General Authority for Competition (GAC) in Saudi Arabia, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), brings together ministers and high-level officials from 28 Arab and international competition authorities, in addition to a score of experts, academics, and representatives of the private sector.
The opening session featured statements by UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti; Chairman of the GAC Board of Directors in Saudi Arabia Ahmed bin Abdul Kareem Al-Kholifey; UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan; and OECD Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs Carmine Di Noia.
“Today, we find ourselves at a crossroads. We can either continue down the current path by adopting competition policies with limited impact, or we can promote competition as a catalyst for economic dynamism and social progress,” Dashti stressed in her opening remarks. “It is time for us to take a proactive stance in promoting fair competition, breaking down barriers and creating an environment that fosters innovation and allows businesses of all sizes to thrive,” she added.
For his part, Al-Kholifey shed light on the key role of competition policy in stimulating efficiency and productive capacity, as well as promoting economic growth, sustainable development and consumer welfare. "The development and improvement of competition regulations, policies and legislation, especially in our region, will have a great impact on enhancing the welfare of Arab citizens by improving prices, increasing the quality and abundance of goods and services, and promoting development and innovation," he added.
This year's Forum will focus on discussing mergers and acquisitions, and on enhancing the efficiency of competition authorities in developing and least developed countries. It will also explore best practices in planning and conducting market studies, and will address concerns about the abuse of dominance in digital markets.
For her part, Grynspan said that in recent years, there has been a growing concern regarding the impact of the digital economy on international trade and development. “In this globalized and digitalized world, competition law and policy are increasingly faced with cross-border challenges, which demand further regional and international cooperation,” she added.
“The OECD stands ready to work with countries in the Arab region, to strengthen competition frameworks, increase coordination with trade and investment policies, and strengthen regional integration while promoting private sector development – one of our key objectives”, Di Noia emphasized.
The opening session was followed by a special discussion on “Arab youth in competition”, during which awards were granted to the winners of the “Student Competition Challenge” launched by ESCWA last March, in cooperation with the GAC in Saudi Arabia. The challenge was an opportunity for Saudi students to learn about the concepts and values of competition, and to become involved in dialogue and research on competition issues in the Arab region.
In 2020, ESCWA, in partnership with UNCTAD and OECD, launched the Arab Competition Forum to establish a continual knowledge-sharing platform on competition policy and enforcement for Arab stakeholders. The Forum also provides a common channel for advancing knowledge and best practices in competition, and facilitating coordination and collaboration at the national, regional, and international levels.
1 of 5

Story
30 May 2023
ILO Regional Director for Arab States completes official visit to Saudi Arabia
The ILO Regional Director for Arab States Ruba Jaradat has completed an official visit to Saudi Arabia to meet with government, worker and employer representatives in the country, and to participate in the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Annual Meetings in Jeddah.
Regional Director Jaradat and an accompanying delegation of ILO officials met in the capital Riyadh with Vice Minister for Human Resources at the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development H.E. Abdullah Abuthnain and other ministry officials.
The meeting centred on a number of issues of mutual interest, including the upcoming 111th Session of the International Labour Conference as well as the implementation of the newly launched second phase of a joint development cooperation project , entailing ILO support to the ministry in capacity building and labour policy development. The significantly expanded new phase follows on from the success of the first phase of the project which began in 2018.
“Saudi Arabia has exerted serious efforts and launched numerous initiatives to reform the labour market, resulting in positive indicators such as rapidly falling unemployment rates and increasing labour force participation rates,” Jaradat said following the meeting.
“Saudi Arabia has taken positive and encouraging steps in realization of its 2030 Vision, including efforts towards the nationalization of jobs, increasing women’s participation rates in the labour force, increasing wages and boosting the private sector,” Jaradat continued. Regional Director Jaradat and ILO officials also met with members of the National Committee for Workers Committees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, and of the Federation of Saudi Chambers at the Makkah Chamber. At the IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Jeddah, Jaradat and the ILO delegation met with IsDB’s Assistant Director General for Global Practices and Partnerships Amer Bukvic. The meeting addressed the further implementation of an ILO-IsDB Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Joint Action Plan in the areas of youth employment and green jobs for a just transition. Regional Director.
Jaradat also participated as a speaker in the Youth Development Forum, the flagship annual standing event on the side-lines of the Annual Meeting, this year titled “From Crises to Resilience: Empowering the Youth for an Uncertain Future.” She highlighted the importance of youth employment, skilling and entrepreneurship in empowering young people and promoting a future of decent work.
Last year, the ILO and the IsDB issued a Challenge Call aiming to build skills required for green jobs and to promote youth participation in a just transition to a green economy.
Regional Director Jaradat also met with officials from the King Salman Relief Center and explored possible areas of collaboration in supporting livelihood and economic recovery that promotes economic well-being and resilience of communities, particularly in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia is a regular member of the ILO’s current Governing Body (2021-2024).
Regional Director Jaradat and an accompanying delegation of ILO officials met in the capital Riyadh with Vice Minister for Human Resources at the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development H.E. Abdullah Abuthnain and other ministry officials.
The meeting centred on a number of issues of mutual interest, including the upcoming 111th Session of the International Labour Conference as well as the implementation of the newly launched second phase of a joint development cooperation project , entailing ILO support to the ministry in capacity building and labour policy development. The significantly expanded new phase follows on from the success of the first phase of the project which began in 2018.
“Saudi Arabia has exerted serious efforts and launched numerous initiatives to reform the labour market, resulting in positive indicators such as rapidly falling unemployment rates and increasing labour force participation rates,” Jaradat said following the meeting.
“Saudi Arabia has taken positive and encouraging steps in realization of its 2030 Vision, including efforts towards the nationalization of jobs, increasing women’s participation rates in the labour force, increasing wages and boosting the private sector,” Jaradat continued. Regional Director Jaradat and ILO officials also met with members of the National Committee for Workers Committees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, and of the Federation of Saudi Chambers at the Makkah Chamber. At the IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Jeddah, Jaradat and the ILO delegation met with IsDB’s Assistant Director General for Global Practices and Partnerships Amer Bukvic. The meeting addressed the further implementation of an ILO-IsDB Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Joint Action Plan in the areas of youth employment and green jobs for a just transition. Regional Director.
Jaradat also participated as a speaker in the Youth Development Forum, the flagship annual standing event on the side-lines of the Annual Meeting, this year titled “From Crises to Resilience: Empowering the Youth for an Uncertain Future.” She highlighted the importance of youth employment, skilling and entrepreneurship in empowering young people and promoting a future of decent work.
Last year, the ILO and the IsDB issued a Challenge Call aiming to build skills required for green jobs and to promote youth participation in a just transition to a green economy.
Regional Director Jaradat also met with officials from the King Salman Relief Center and explored possible areas of collaboration in supporting livelihood and economic recovery that promotes economic well-being and resilience of communities, particularly in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia is a regular member of the ILO’s current Governing Body (2021-2024).
1 of 5

Story
15 May 2023
Saudi Artist Aseel Omran Appointed as UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, announced today the appointment of renowned Saudi actress, singer and public figure, Aseel Omran, as UNHCR’s Goodwill Ambassador, becoming the first Saudi to take on this role.
Omran has been working closely with UNHCR since 2018, and she was appointed as a UNHCR high profile supporter in 2020. She has been backing UNHCR’s efforts in responding to several displacement emergencies, in addition to supporting fundraising and advocacy campaigns in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The announcement coincides with a two-day visit to Bangladesh, bringing attention to the situation and humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees.
Accepting her new role, Omran said: “For more than five years, I have had the honour of meeting many refugees from all over the world and have seen first-hand how, given the right opportunities, refugees can thrive to the fullest.” She added: “When I began working with UNHCR, there were 70 million people who had been forcibly displaced worldwide. Today, this number exceeds 103 million people. With this dramatic increase, we all need to show greater support than ever and shoulder more responsibility to create better opportunities for those who were uprooted from their homes. I am very proud and honoured to take on this role as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and lend my voice to refugees and internally displaced populations.”
Welcoming Omran’s appointment, Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor and UNHCR’s Representative to the GCC countries, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Aseel Omran as our first Saudi Goodwill Ambassador. Her commitment and dedication to highlighting UNHCR’s work have been outstanding, and we are confident that she will make a significant impact in raising awareness about the plight of forcibly displaced people worldwide, mobilizing support and resources for them and responding to their humanitarian needs.”
In her new role, Aseel will continue to utilize her social platforms to raise awareness and promote the importance of solidarity and compassion in addressing the global displacement crisis. She will also support UNHCR's efforts to empower refugees, including through advocacy, fundraising globally, and visiting refugee camps and hosting communities.
Aseel joins a distinguished group of UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors, including Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, Raya Abirached, and other influential figures from the worlds of entertainment, sport and public service.
1 of 5

Press Release
25 October 2022
United Nations Global Compact Network Saudi Arabia forms a strategic partnership with Prince Sultan University to advance the UN’s 2030 Agenda
The United Nations Global Compact Network - Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan University (PSU), signed a memorandum of understanding to form a strategic partnership to advance the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
The partnership aims to strengthen efforts towards advancing the UN's 2030 Agenda by engaging higher education institutions. The UNGC through various efforts seeks to enable sustainability in the private sector. Additionally, UNGC by partnering and collaborating with academic institutions such as PSU, it reinforces its belief in the power of education, which is also in line with Vision 2030, to narrow the knowledge gap among Saudi youth as well as strive to educate them on responsible business behavior and promote a concrete understanding of diligent corporate management and how a business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalization and its impact on the ethical, social, environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions of doing business. Fundamentally, this partnership intends to not only expose students to corporate sustainability but also develop their business acumen and intuition to become stand up corporate citizens that consider sustainability part and parcel of a successful business enterprise. In essence, such partnerships, allows for the opportunity to prepare the younger generation to become future business leaders that are part of the innovative solutions to the challenges we face, and that corporate sustainability attempts to address.
Ms. Maryam Telmesani, Chair- UN Global Compact Network - Saudi Arabia, commented, “The strategic partnership with Prince Sultan University will definitely curate an experiential learning journey for students focus on sustainability. Through the partnership, we are confident about translating our sustainability ambition into tangible action in Saudi Arabia, inspiring the youth to lead as ambassadors of sustainable living.”
Dr. Ahmed Yamani, President of Prince Sultan University said, “PSU is committed to applying the UN SDG 2030 in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Our strategic partnership with United Nations Global Compact demonstrates our continued SDG commitment to work closely with international stakeholders and positively impact the community. PSU is truly proud to be directly linked to one of the milestone changes in the Higher Education System in this country, and that is the future of private higher education.”
Professor Mohammad Nurunnabi, the Director of Center for Sustainability and Climate (CSC), Aide to the President on Ranking and Internationalization, commented, “We are proud to partner with United Nations Global Compact, given their significant commitments on sustainability. This partnership aligns with our vision to provide the Middle East with quality education of the highest international standard, and our commitment to Saudi Vision 2030. We’re delighted to come together to provide tangible solutions to combat sustainability challenges and accomplish SDG 2030.”
The partnership aims to strengthen efforts towards advancing the UN's 2030 Agenda by engaging higher education institutions. The UNGC through various efforts seeks to enable sustainability in the private sector. Additionally, UNGC by partnering and collaborating with academic institutions such as PSU, it reinforces its belief in the power of education, which is also in line with Vision 2030, to narrow the knowledge gap among Saudi youth as well as strive to educate them on responsible business behavior and promote a concrete understanding of diligent corporate management and how a business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalization and its impact on the ethical, social, environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions of doing business. Fundamentally, this partnership intends to not only expose students to corporate sustainability but also develop their business acumen and intuition to become stand up corporate citizens that consider sustainability part and parcel of a successful business enterprise. In essence, such partnerships, allows for the opportunity to prepare the younger generation to become future business leaders that are part of the innovative solutions to the challenges we face, and that corporate sustainability attempts to address.
Ms. Maryam Telmesani, Chair- UN Global Compact Network - Saudi Arabia, commented, “The strategic partnership with Prince Sultan University will definitely curate an experiential learning journey for students focus on sustainability. Through the partnership, we are confident about translating our sustainability ambition into tangible action in Saudi Arabia, inspiring the youth to lead as ambassadors of sustainable living.”
Dr. Ahmed Yamani, President of Prince Sultan University said, “PSU is committed to applying the UN SDG 2030 in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Our strategic partnership with United Nations Global Compact demonstrates our continued SDG commitment to work closely with international stakeholders and positively impact the community. PSU is truly proud to be directly linked to one of the milestone changes in the Higher Education System in this country, and that is the future of private higher education.”
Professor Mohammad Nurunnabi, the Director of Center for Sustainability and Climate (CSC), Aide to the President on Ranking and Internationalization, commented, “We are proud to partner with United Nations Global Compact, given their significant commitments on sustainability. This partnership aligns with our vision to provide the Middle East with quality education of the highest international standard, and our commitment to Saudi Vision 2030. We’re delighted to come together to provide tangible solutions to combat sustainability challenges and accomplish SDG 2030.”
1 of 5
Press Release
24 April 2022
United Nations Development Programme Signs the 3rd Phase of the Project with General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GASGI)
Thursday, 21st of April marked the signing of the third phase of the “Advisory Services to the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information” project between the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in Saudi Arabia, and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GASGI) to support GASGI in delivering its new mandate that focuses on promoting surveying and geospatial capabilities.
The completion of the previous phase was instrumental in nurturing the idea of developing the foundation of financial sustainability whereby the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information will achieve a high level of efficiency in all its geospatial products.
GASGI hopes to expand the availability and marketing of its products and to broaden public awareness. The core areas of the project include:
Geodesy
Geospatial Services
Hydrography
Map Production
Institutional Excellence
Establishment of GASGI Academy
UNDP Resident Representative, Dr. Adam Bouloukos, was pleased to continue this partnership , “The key objective of this intervention is to strengthen national capacities for effective geo-spatial surveys, generating national geo-spatial data infrastructure, and generating multi-purpose knowledge from such surveys to boost efforts in achieving the Saudi Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
GASGI President, Dr. Eng. Mohammed Yahya Alsayel, also expressed his satisfaction with UNDP support, in particular the latest training arranged by UNDP and delivered by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea which received significant positive feedback.
GASGI Head of Human resources and National Project Manager of the project, Eng. Bader Althiyabi, “This project will contribute to achieving the objectives of the organization’s regulation Resolution No. (90) in the field of surveying and geospatial information; It will contribute to developing and building national capacities in the surveying sector.”
1 of 5
Press Release
13 January 2022
Joint Statement by UNICEF Representative Eltayeb Adam and UN Resident Coordinator Nathalie Fustier welcoming The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s decision to resume in-person school attendance
"We congratulate children, parents and teachers on the reopening of schools for the first time since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started.
“We commend the Government of Saudi Arabia on the wise decision and call for the reopening of all schools for all children.
“A safe transition for children back to their schools will inspire everyone. Children deserve to live moments of joy inside their schools, and they deserve to learn and dream for a better future through quality education.
“Evidence has shown that prolonged school closures, combined with inequitable access to remote learning for some children, including the most vulnerable, has had a devastating impact on students' learning, health and well-being.
“School closures should be avoided even as the new Omicron variant spreads. Schools must be the last places to close and the first to reopen.”
1 of 5
Press Release
27 October 2021
United Nations, Sports for All and Fitness Time Centers Launch #Active4SDGs Health and Wellness Challenge
This year, we celebrate UN Day 2021 despite the continued challenges around the world caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been not only a health crisis but has had economic and social impacts. While this global crisis has challenged every government in every country it has also been an opportunity for positive change and transformation.
The UN in Saudi Arabia joins forces with Sports for All and Fitness Time Centers across the Kingdom to recognize the opportunity for change by facilitating a health and wellness campaign #Active4SDGs to advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals through social mobilization of a country wide sport and physical activity through competitive health to motivate behavioral change towards Sustainable Development Goal #3, Health and Well-being.
The aim of the UN Day #ActiveSDGs campaign is to highlight the contribution of sports and physical activity to well-being particularly post the pandemic. It also aims to recognize physical activity and sport’s contribution to the realization of development, and to raise awareness on how simple everyday choices such as physical activity can support the transformation towards sustainability.
“Sport and physical activity are important enablers of sustainable development and Vision 2030 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sports and physical activity contribute to the realization of development through promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.” – United Nations Resident Coordinator Nathalie Fustier
Together the United Nations, Sports for All and Fitness Time Centers under the umbrella of health and well-being launch #Active4SDGs campaign engaging community to join UN Day challenge and demonstrate how people are powerful and active agents for change, and to meet the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is imperative that organizations engage youth, providing tools and resources that support them in their actions to create behavioral change towards health and well-being.
For more information on the UN Day challenge #Active4SDGs Click Here
1 of 5
Press Release
04 July 2021
IFAD and KSrelief Agree to Jointly Tackle Hunger and Malnutrition in World’s Most Vulnerable Countries
Escalating hunger and malnutrition as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is particularly dire for people living in the world’s most fragile countries. In response, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) today agreed to join forces to help ensure sustainable access to nutritious food.
The Joint Cooperation Agreement was signed by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, the Advisor at the Saudi Royal Court and Supervisor General at KSrelief, and Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD.
"COVID-19 has amplified the hardships faced by the world’s most vulnerable people, many of whom are now experiencing an increase in hunger and poverty. It is vital for like-minded organisations to join forces to combat this,” said Houngbo. "I welcome this opportunity to collaborate with KSrelief to ensure that people living in the most dire situations can sustainably grow, market and consume enough nutritious food.”
“This agreement is a further step to expand the partnership between Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, and IFAD aiming to help many people in need and expand the humanitarian scope of Saudi Arabia globally,” said Al Rabeeah. “KSrelief is a leading humanitarian organization that has managed to build a wide network of partnerships aiming to alleviate the suffering of those in need. We look forward to building a solid partnership with IFAD, aiming to widen our scope of work.”
The two organisations share a vision of alleviating poverty and hunger. As part of the agreement, they will draw on their respective expertise and reach, and share knowledge and experience to jointly address malnutrition and hunger. This includes collaborating on the strategy, design and implementation of projects in fragile countries, such as Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
IFAD is an international financial institution and UN agency which has provided more than US$23 billion in grants and low interest loans to help vulnerable countries to reduce poverty, hunger and malnutrition and increase rural peoples’ resilience to shocks. In 2019, IFAD opened its Liaison Office with the States of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in Riyadh to strengthen partnerships within the region.
KSrelief was founded in 2015 by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to be the humanitarian arm of Saudi Arabia. To date, it has spent $5.26 billion, supporting over 1,600 projects in 68 countries with a focus on women and children, food security and nutrition, health, education, shelter, water, sanitation, and humanitarian and emergency relief coordination.
For Media Inquiries:
Mouhab Alawar
Arabic Communications Specialist, Communications Division
m.alawar@ifad.org
1 of 5
Latest Resources
1 / 11
Resources
15 December 2022
Resources
14 June 2022
Resources
26 December 2021
1 / 11