NEOM — Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, made a phone call on Monday to Jordan's King Abdullah II. During the conversation, they discussed the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives announced by the Crown Prince, which, in partnership with the countries of the region, aims to face environmental challenges in the region, improve the quality of life there, implement the largest reforestation program in the world, contribute to reclaim millions of hectares of degraded lands and achieve a reduction in global carbon levels. King Abdullah II welcomed the initiatives of the Crown Prince, stressing Jordan's readiness to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in everything that achieves the goals of the initiatives. Earlier in the day, Egypt welcomed the "green initiatives". In a statement on Monday, the Egyptian environment ministry appreciated the ambitious initiative which indicates the interest that Saudi Arabia attaches to the fields of environmental preservation and international climate action, expressing its aspiration to effectively participate with the Kingdom in activating and implementing this initiative in a way that contributes to supporting environmental action in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) Ali Bin Sabt praised the "Saudi Green" and the "Green Middle East" initiatives. Bin Sabt said in a statement: "The two initiatives will outline the Kingdom's and the region's nature preservation and protection approach with a well-defined and ambitious roadmap that will have strong contributions to achieving international relevant objectives." Also he noted that the two initiatives reflect the Kingdom's keenness on leading the green era and underline Saudi Arabia's pioneering role in international climate change-combating efforts, and will contribute to enhancing its contributions as a major oil producer in achieving stability in international energy markets in general, and in oil and gas market in particular. Bin Sabt added that the "Saudi Green" and the "Green Middle East" initiatives come within the Kingdom's continuing efforts to protect the planet. In this regard, he cited the presidency of the G20 last year, which resulted in the launch of the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) approach, the establishment of the G20 Working Group on Carbon-Neutral Hydrocarbons, the launch of the International Coral Reef Protection Initiative and the Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation and Enhancing Conservation of Terrestrial Habitats.
