RIYADH, 1 April — The Saudi Wildlife Fund plans to raise SR100 million to meet the shortfall in allocations for environmental projects. Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, will chair a meeting of senior officials, businessmen and representatives of foreign companies here today to generate support for the program.
Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Dr. Abdul Aziz Abuzinada, secretary-general of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD), said the SWF earlier raised a SR25 million fund for supporting some projects. The press briefing at the NCWCD headquarters was also attended by Yousef I. Al-Wetaid, NCWCD’s research center supervisor.
Abuzinada said the fund-raising event will be attended by Minister of Interior Prince Naif, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, Vice Governor Prince Sattam, Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmad, Asir Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Secretary-General of Higher Tourism Authority Prince Sultan ibn Salman besides members of the royal family, senior officials and some 300 businessmen.
He said the SWF had identified 21 environmental projects including 15 protected areas to be supported by the businessmen. An individual donor will have the option to support one of the selected projects. The environmental agency is also working on plans to privatize some of the projects following concerns raised by the Shoura Council that the lack of funds is hampering NCWCD’s future plans.
Asked about the extent of the privatization plans, Abuzinadah said a panel comprising economists and international conservation experts had been set up to discuss several options to fund environmental projects. “It is too early to go into details but the most promising (proposal) seems to be forming joint ventures with the private sector,” he noted.
Abuzinada said NCWCD had received permission to study 16 sites for establishing new protected areas under the current five-year development plan. Decisions on sites for protected areas will follow recommendations by the experts.
The environmental agency, he said, has also plans to identify new areas for protection of marine life. He said given the threats posed by tourism and marine pollution, the marine ecosystem should get priority attention from conservationists.
The Kingdom, with a coastline stretching over 6,000 kilometers, is home to a wide variety of marine and wildlife species. The country can boast of 2,250 identified species of plants as well. In a recent study, NCWCD ringed 1,375 rare birds of 45 species.
He said NCWCD had decided to hold an Arab environmental film festival, the first of its kind to be organized by an Arab wildlife conservation body, later this year.
