Prince Talal Prize: $1,000,000 (U.S.) is allocated to "Life Below Water"

Chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Aziz bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chairman of AGFUND’s Board of Directors and Chairman of the Prize Committee, the Committee of Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development held its 26th meeting on June 25, 2025. This meeting identified projects that had a significant positive impact in 2024 earning this year’s prestigious Prince Talal Prize.

The Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development is an annual prize that carries a financial reward of $1,000,000 (U.S.) awarded by AGFUND. Since its inception, the prize has attracted a number of pioneering projects that have positively impacted local, regional, and international communities. The yearly award is designed to encourage innovation and creativity in human development for the betterment of the global community. The prize theme is chosen each year by selecting one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030. This year's theme centered on the 14th Goal, "Life Below Water", which focuses on projects that aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

In total, 62 projects were nominated for this year’s prize. Out of this number, 29 qualified projects met the prize criteria. The committee was pleased to announce the four winning projects under the theme “Life Below Water” as follows:

The winning project for the first category, which is specified as projects implemented by UN agencies or international and regional NGOs, is “Tide Turner Plastic Challenge: Catalysing youth action to reduce plastic pollution through behaviour change”, implemented by United Nations Environment Programme  in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, and Madagascar. The winning project for the second category, which specifies projects implemented by national NGOs, is “NETCYCLE AFRICA - Closing the Loop on Waste Fishnets in Africa” implemented by Chaint Afrique Academy in Ghana.  For the third category, which designates projects implemented by governmental bodies (ministries and public institutions) or social business enterprises, the winning project is” Zero-Plastic Oceans (ZEPO)”, implemented by eTrash2Cash (eT2C) inNigeria. Lastly, the fourth category, which is specified as projects initiated, funded and/or implemented by individuals, the winning project is “ALGRIF (ALG UNO): Transforming Marine Algae into Sustainable Biostimulants and Biofertilizers”, implemented by Mr. Abdelilah HAMMADA in Morocco.

Furthermore, the Prize committee chose the theme “Affordable and Clean Energy” that reflects the Goal SDG7 to be the prize subject for the year 2025, which aims to Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy.

The Committee of the Prize is chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Aziz bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. The Committee members also include Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain, Executive President of the Queen Sofia Foundation and Honorary President of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Handicapped Persons; Mrs. Mercedes Menafra, Former First Lady of Uruguay and the President of Honor of Todos Por Uruguay; Dr. Muhammed Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Founder of Grameen Bank; Dr. Ahmed Muhammed Ali, the former President of the Islamic Bank Group; and Dr. Yusuf Sayed Abdullah, the former Director General of the OPEC Fund for International Development.