Chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal, AGFUND’s Board Approves Financing Projects to Support Development and Innovative Initiatives

The Board of Directors of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) held its semi-annual meeting today at AGFUND headquarters in Riyadh, chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz.

During the meeting, the Board reviewed AGFUND's activities and achievements for 2024, along with proposed projects for the current session. Notably, they commended AGFUND's active participation in the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), hosted by Saudi Arabia during the period December 2-12, 2024.

The Board acknowledged AGFUND’s leadership in launching the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security, which aims to enhance the stability and sustainability of small farmers. This initiative, which includes 30 entities from governments, international organizations, the private sector, and research centres, seeks to mitigate the impacts of drought, desertification, and climate change on agriculture. Its Secretariat is located at the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Bonn, Germany.

Additionally, the Board expressed appreciation for the Arab Coordination Group’s initiative to allocate $10 billion to combat drought, desertification, and climate change impacts. They also highlighted AGFUND's involvement in the 2023 Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development ceremony, where winners in the "Life on Land" category were honored for their contributions to environmental sustainability.

The meeting concluded with the approval of funding for 12 development projects that align with AGFUND's standards. These initiatives focus on early childhood development, enhancing services for children, promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities, empowering women, preserving marine ecosystems, and supporting small farmers as part of the global food security initiative.

Since its establishment, AGFUND has supported and implemented 1,732 development projects across 133 countries, collaborating with over 450 partners, including UN organizations, international and regional bodies, government entities, and NGOs.