Doha: GCC countries’ pavilions in Expo 2023 Doha, currently hosted by Qatar under the theme of ‘Green Desert, Better Environment’, have featured aspirations for a healthier and greener planet including the best horticulture and environmental sustainability practices and innovations and efforts to boost vegetation diversity and reign in climate change impacts.
Saudi pavilion showcased an array of the Kingdom’s key initiatives and projects to achieve water security and increase greenery, enhance the utilisation of treated water and renewables, as well as its initiative to plant 40 billion trees across the Middle East and other ecological awareness campaigns in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.
Among the Saudi sustainability projects showcased were the desalinated water project and cloud seeding program, which aims to surge the precipitation from five to 20 percent, create new water sources, battle desertification and carbon emissions and contribute to Saudi& Middle East Green Initiatives.
The booth also displayed a Saudi initiative to amplify the benefit of 80 million cubic meters of treated water in agriculture in areas facing water scarcity, set up advanced infrastructure, achieve food security, improve agricultural production, preserve natural resources, protect animals from extinction, and promote sustainability.
Meanwhile, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of UAE Mariam Almheiri opened Tuesday the UAE pavilion under the theme ‘Legacy and Impact’, with the participation of Expo 2023 Doha Commissioner General
H E Ambassador Bader bin Omar Al Dafa and several senior officials.
With rammed earth walls and a palm frond roof, the UAE booth showcased the latest environmental innovations and qualitative contributions that focus on efforts to enhance a prosperous agricultural legacy. It also displayed a variety of adaptable flora and several lectures that introduce the UAE’s agricultural heritage and the activists who have contributed to building a more sustainable future. The Omani’s pavilion, surrounded by a green fence with dense plant cover, displayed 1,600 plants that were transported from Muscat to Doha, to highlight vegetation diversity and the country’s efforts to battle climate change.
Chief of the Omani pavilion Eng. Ismail bin Saif Al Rashidi lauded Qatar’s impressive hosting of the Expo which reflects its standout and professional organization of global mega events.
He added that the Omani flora showcased in the Expo proves the GCC countries’ abilities to transform from aridity into greenery, stressing the importance of their concerted agricultural and sustainability efforts. The six-month Expo 2023 Doha is being held for the first time in the Gulf region and in the Middle East.
