Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 05 October 2023 - The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is pleased to announce its participation as a regional partner in the highly anticipated 2^nd MENA Climate Week 2023, set to take place in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time in the Kingdom.

This event is scheduled for 8-12 October 2023 and will serve as a platform for fostering regional collaboration on climate action, contributing to the first Global Stocktake (GST), and accelerating the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

MENA Climate Week 2023 aims to promote partnerships for climate action, taking regional priorities and the GST into consideration. The major event aims to drive a whole-of-government and society approach by bringing together governments, the private sector, cities and regions, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and civil society.

The discussions will be organized into four thematic tracks, each bringing together stakeholders to address critical climate challenges:

Track 1: Energy systems and industry

Track 2: Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure, and transportation

Track 3: Land, oceans, food, and water

Track 4: Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies

As an official regional partner, the Islamic Development Bank will play a pivotal role in shaping the dialogue and action plans related to climate resilience and sustainability. The IsDB has a strong track record of championing sustainable development initiatives and fostering cooperation within the MENA region, making its participation in MENA Climate Week 2023 both timely and significant, more so in the light of its chairing of the MDB Working Group on Climate.

As part of the engagement, the President and Group Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, will participate in a Ministerial panel on Inclusive Finance & Economic Diversification towards the Goals of the Paris Agreement during the opening.

The panel aims to explore financing strategies and mechanisms capable of mobilizing funds for climate action and development projects in the MENA region and explore opportunities for regional and international collaboration in climate finance.

IsDB Group is also co-organizing a series of side events on key topics, which will be held in Zone 5, and extends an invitation to all stakeholders and interested parties to join them at MENA Climate Week in Riyadh. In addition, it will participate in events organized by other partners.

MENACW 2023 is hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and organized by UN Climate Change in collaboration with global partners UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank Group (WBG). Partners based in MENA include the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the League of Arab States (LAS) Secretariat, and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA).