RIYADH: The Board of Directors of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) has announced the approval of financing for 12 new projects aimed at supporting development and innovative initiatives. The announcement was made during the Board's semi-annual meeting at AGFUND's headquarters, chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz. The projects focus on areas such as early childhood development, services for children, inclusion of people with disabilities, women's empowerment, marine ecosystem preservation, and support for small farmers.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the Board also reviewed AGFUND's activities and achievements for 2024, including its active participation in the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16). This event, hosted by Saudi Arabia from December 2 to 12, 2024, highlighted AGFUND's leadership in launching the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security. This initiative aims to enhance agricultural stability and sustainability by mitigating the impacts of drought, desertification, and climate change, with its Secretariat based at the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Bonn, Germany.
The Board further expressed its support for the Arab Coordination Group's initiative to allocate $10 billion for combating climate change impacts, and acknowledged AGFUND's involvement in the 2023 Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development. The prize recognized contributions to environmental sustainability under the "Life on Land" category.
Since its inception, AGFUND has been instrumental in implementing 1,732 development projects in 133 countries, partnering with over 450 entities, including UN organizations, government bodies, and NGOs. The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue fostering partnerships that align with AGFUND's mission of sustainable development.