Saudi arabia: Saudi Arabia will host the world's first Global Coral Reef Summit in the fourth quarter of this year, reaffirming its international leadership in protecting marine ecosystems and highlighting its advanced role in spearheading global efforts to address environmental challenges.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom's hosting of the summit was announced during the Saudi House event held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos. The announcement was delivered by Saudi Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan.
Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea (SHAMS), said that hosting the summit reflects Saudi Arabia's domestic and international efforts to protect and preserve marine ecosystems through the adoption of best programs, innovative technologies, and global practices. He noted that these efforts contribute to achieving sustainable development goals by rehabilitating coral reefs, restoring ecological balance, and improving quality of life.
For his part, SHAMS CEO Dr. Khaled Al-Asfahani explained that the summit will focus on three main pillars: policy, scientific research, and financing. He said the summit aims to present a practical and policy-oriented framework that enables financial sustainability for coral reefs and related marine ecosystems, while outlining a clear pathway from dialogue to implementation.
He added that this will be achieved by highlighting coral reefs as economic assets within blue economy strategies, developing sustainable and scalable financing mechanisms, and engaging leaders and decision-makers to develop implementable investment models through policies and legislation. He also noted the importance of establishing a structured international mobilization track leading to tangible and measurable outcomes.
Saudi Arabia is organizing the summit through SHAMS in its capacity as Chair of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), which includes 45 member countries, reflecting international confidence in the Kingdom's leading role in protecting coral reefs worldwide.