U20 Chair: Saudi Arabia Holds Influential Role in International Events, Assumes Leadership Role in Addressing Global Challenges

Advisor at the General Secretariat of the Cabinet and Board Member of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Fahd bin Abdulmohsen Al-Rasheed, who also leads the Saudi delegation in the Urban 20 (U20) engagement group, emphasized the Kingdom’s prominent and influential role on the international stage, including at the G20 Summit and various engagement group summits.

Advisor Fahd indicated that the Kingdom in such it assumed a leadership role in addressing global shared challenges through the launch of several pioneering initiatives such as the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, and the Riyadh Sustainability Strategy.

On the significant role of engagement groups, he stated, “The G20-affiliated engagement groups aim to convey the voices of various segments of society to the leaders of G20 countries. Saudi Arabia actively participates in these groups through collaborative efforts, highlighting the Kingdom’s pioneering experiences stemming from Saudi Vision 2030 across various fields.”

In this context, the U20 engagement group represents the voice of cities within the G20, aiming to discuss various urban priorities, issues, and challenges for their inclusion in the priorities of G20 leaders.

Regarding the importance of the U20 group, he noted that currently half of the world’s population resides in cities, and it is anticipated that the global population will rise by nearly 70% by 2050, with cities playing a fundamental role as drivers of the global economy, contributing to 80% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The U20 Summit was held in July in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, with the participation of mayors and leaders from G20 cities, as well as representatives from monitored cities worldwide.

During the summit, six urban-related priorities were identified: (1) encouraging environmentally responsible behaviours, (2) ensuring water security, (3) accelerating climate finance, (4) championing local identity, (5) reinventing frameworks for urban governance and (6) planning and catalyzing digital urban futures.

The Saudi delegation at the summit emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to making a positive impact on common urban issues and contributing to global challenges. Several cities’ leaders, who attended the summit, praised Saudi Arabia’s rapid transformation in the urban and environmental sectors.

They also commended the Kingdom’s major urban projects such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project, as well as its environmentally-focused initiatives like the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, and Green Riyadh Project. Additionally, the transportation projects, including the King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project, were also highlighted.

The U20 Group held its first meeting in Buenos Aires in 2018. The Saudi capital Riyadh chaired the group during the Kingdom’s presidency of the G20 in 2020 when the group adopted organizational frameworks to define its priorities and established collaborative working groups to issue statements reflecting the priorities of all participating cities.

Since the group’s establishment, the Kingdom has played a significant role in shaping the group’s working mechanisms and methodology, leading to enhanced cooperation among cities during its presidency year, with the aim of conveying their priorities to G20 leaders.