e first session of the Ministerial Council of the Middle East Green Initiative will commence tomorrow in Jeddah. It will be chaired by Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Alfadley. This inaugural session of the Ministerial Council represents the culmination of significant efforts by member states in the region. These efforts are aimed at preparing and implementing the requirements of the Initiative's foundational phase and establishing the General Secretariat in Riyadh. The Ministerial Council is expected to make important decisions to initiate the executive phase of the Initiative. The Middle East Green Initiative aims to plant 50 billion trees across the Middle East, representing 5% of the global afforestation goal. Additionally, it supports the region's efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 670 million tons, equivalent to 10% of global contributions. This initiative contributes to building a greener future for the Middle East by improving air quality, redu cing soil erosion, providing habitats for wildlife, and absorbing carbon dioxide to mitigate the effects of climate change. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched the Middle East Green Initiative at its first summit, held in Riyadh in October 2021. Furthermore, at the second summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022, the Kingdom announced a financial grant for the Initiative and committed to hosting its General Secretariat in Riyadh, assuming all operational costs for the next ten years. Source: Saudi Press Agency