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Jordan Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Prince Hassan: Regional cooperation not only strategic imperative but ‘moral necessity'
Prince El Hassan speaks on Wednesday at the conclusion of a three-day workshop in Amman titled 'Nuclear Security in the Middle East and North Africa: Keeping Pace with an Evolving World (Petra photo) AMMAN — A landmark workshop on nuclear security in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) concluded last week in Amman, marking a significant regional effort to ensure the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy amid growing global and geopolitical challenges. Held from April 28–30, 2025 and co-hosted by the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), the workshop, titled 'Nuclear Security in the Middle East and North Africa: Keeping Pace with an Evolving World', brought together senior officials and experts from 12 countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The workshop was co-chaired by HRH Prince El Hassan and NTI Co-Chair and CEO Ernest J. Moniz, who jointly hailed the gathering as a 'vital step' in addressing shared regional concerns related to the secure management of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies. At the closing session of the workshop, HRH Prince El Hassan underlined the need for regional cooperation to address common challenges not only as a strategic imperative but a 'moral necessity.' 'The time has come to imagine a Regional Mechanism for Security and Cooperation in the Middle East fundamentally shaped by the historical memory, pluralistic heritage, and geopolitical realities of our region, the Prince said. His Royal Highness called for dealing with security within a historical context. 'Security must be understood holistically. Nuclear safety cannot be addressed in isolation; it must form part of a broader architecture of dialogue that encompasses transboundary challenges such as water scarcity, energy access, and food security, what I have called the WEFE Nexus: Water, Energy, Food, and Environment.' He also explained that the region requires a 'collective framework for security, one not anchored in hegemony or dominance, but in mutual accountability, shared responsibility, and the pursuit of common good.' As co-coordinators of the workshop, Prince El Hassan and Moniz issued a joint statement voiced appreciation for the high-level participant from across the MENA region for joining the 'landmark workshop, the first of its kind focused specifically on nuclear security in the region.' 'This gathering marks a vital step toward addressing a pressing global security challenge: the management of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies in a complex and evolving geopolitical environment,' the statement said. Underlying the urgency of joint efforts, mainly in light of 'interconnected risks,' the statement noted that 'regional collaboration has never been more crucial.' 'The willingness of participating nations to exchange expertise and build cross-border partnerships is an inspiring testament to the shared responsibility we bear for ensuring a secure, sustainable, and prosperous future.' In their statement, Prince El Hassan and Moniz emphasized peaceful use of nuclear energy as a key theme of the workshop and a driver for security and stability. During the closing session, Scott Roecker, vice president for NTI's Nuclear Materials Security Programme and Elena Buglova, director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security, spoke about the importance of the workshop in strengthening regional cooperation across the Middle East and North Africa. They highlighted the value of sharing experiences and challenges, exchanging ideas and aspirations, and revisiting nuclear security plans to support long-term investment in safety and stability. Here is the full text of the final statement: Reflections from His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal and Ernest J. Moniz on Regional Nuclear Security Cooperation From April 28-30, 2025, in Amman, Jordan, the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) hosted a workshop, 'Nuclear Security in the Middle East and North Africa: Keeping Pace with an Evolving World,' with high-level participants from 12 countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency. As co-coordinators of the workshop, His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal and Co-Chair and CEO of NTI Ernest J. Moniz issued the following statement. We deeply appreciate the many leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa who joined us in Amman for this landmark workshop—the first of its kind focused specifically on nuclear security in the region. This gathering marks a vital step toward addressing a pressing global security challenge: the management of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies in a complex and evolving geopolitical environment. In an era defined by interconnected risks, regional collaboration has never been more crucial. The willingness of participating nations to exchange expertise and build cross-border partnerships is an inspiring testament to the shared responsibility we bear for ensuring a secure, sustainable, and prosperous future. Jordan's leadership in hosting this workshop—and its recognized role by the IAEA as a hub and center-of-excellence for the peaceful applications of nuclear energy—reflects the Kingdom's enduring commitment to fostering regional dialogue and promoting practical, forward-looking solutions to safeguard our collective well-being. A key theme that emerged was the emphasis on the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a driver for security and stability. The IAEA has acknowledged Jordan's capacity to serve as a training center for newcomer countries in the peaceful applications of nuclear technology. This workshop—rare in that it addressed Middle Eastern nuclear energy priorities from the region to the world—builds on the momentum created by recent global engagements such as the COP meetings. Unlike climate summits, nuclear security gatherings have been largely absent from the region—making this initiative all the more critical. As we anticipate an increase in nuclear energy to support climate change mitigation and energy security goals, the ideas discussed offer a path forward for ensuring that expansion proceeds safely, securely, and responsibly. Moreover, the regional vision advanced at the workshop—anchored in a historical understanding of Water, Energy, Food, and Environmental needs (the WEFE Nexus)—underscores the interconnectedness of regional security, sustainable development, and human dignity. Integrating the WEFE approach into discussions on nuclear security provides a holistic framework for stabilizing the region through cooperation rather than confrontation. This initiative demonstrates the power and promise of regional collaboration in the Middle East and North Africa on nuclear security, offering a model for other regions to follow. We encourage leaders around the world to embrace this spirit of cooperation, recognizing that the challenges of nuclear security transcend borders and demand collective action rooted in mutual trust. Let the work undertaken here in Amman serve as a catalyst for continued engagement and meaningful partnerships. Together, we can create a future where the benefits of nuclear technologies are realized safely, securely, and sustainably—and where risks are reduced through shared commitment, dialogue, and mutual respect.
Arab News
11-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia developing unified ESG guidelines to raise reporting standards, official says
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is developing unified national environmental, social, and governance guidelines that aim to bring reporting up to international standards, an official said. 'By developing a robust ESG ecosystem, we can address current challenges while preparing for a more sustainable future,' Yara Sindi, general manager of monitoring, reporting, and policies for sustainability, and director of corporate sustainability at the Ministry of Economy and Planning said during a conference in Riyadh. 'With 30 percent of our top companies already reporting on sustainability and growing awareness globally, we have an incredible opportunity to capitalize on this momentum,' Sindi said. Despite this progress, Sindi noted that the quality of these reports remains a challenge. Many are not aligned with international standards, resulting in weak ratings and limited investor engagement, she said. While there are multiple existing national guidelines that have been developed by different jurisdictions, Sindi pointed out that there is still no unified approach. She emphasized the need for Saudi companies to improve the accuracy and transparency of their sustainability reports. 'It's essential to equip our corporates with the tools and frameworks they need to produce high-quality reports,' she said. Sindi added that this will allow them to better translate their efforts into measurable outcomes that investors can trust. To tackle these challenges, Saudi Arabia is developing its own national sustainability reporting standards. 'These guidelines, informed by international best practices, aim to provide a unified approach that simplifies reporting for companies while ensuring alignment with global expectations,' she added. Sindi made the comments during a panel discussion titled 'The Evolving Landscape of ESG: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities' at the fifth World Environmental Social and Governance Summit in Riyadh this week. She said that investors' awareness of national ESG initiatives is not where it should be, due to the disconnect between companies and investors regarding sustainability efforts. 'We are working to bridge this gap by fostering conversations and knowledge-sharing between corporates and investors.' Abdulaziz Al-Ghamdi, director of sustainability at Ardara, also participated in the discussion, emphasizing a critical aspect of proper ESG implementation. 'A lot is going on — the landscape on the policy and the implementation of the strategy — and there's lots of effort and work to be thanked for.' Al-Ghamdi added that where most companies fail to address proper ESG implementation strategy, and the way that it can aid decision-making, is in identifying, primarily, many different materiality topics and the sustainability mandate. 'That being said, ESG is a metric for those who have not been involved in it — to calculate, to measure, to track, and to assess the performance of a company towards this broader stakeholder engagement,' he explained. Al-Ghamdi said that there is a lot of work that has been completed to do that, but there are significant challenges in implementing these kinds of ESG strategies. Neil Atkinson, senior vice president and head of ESG and sustainability at Riyadh Bank, added further insights into how ESG opens new opportunities for Saudi Arabia's rapidly transforming sectors such as construction, energy, and real estate. 'I'd say, with the mass transformation we have here in Saudi Arabia for all sectors, how ESG in collaboration with this transformation can provide new opportunities for us here in the Kingdom,' Atkinson said. He identified four key trends shaping the ESG landscape from a banking perspective. 'The first one is the increasing growth of green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked instruments,' Atkinson said. He noted that in the US, self-identified assets under management in ESG reached $6.5 trillion in 2024, reflecting a significant year-on-year rise. Atkinson pointed to the scaling of clean energy technologies, particularly solar, hydrogen, and wind, as a second major trend. The third trend Atkinson highlighted was the increasing demand from investors for measurable ESG metrics. 'There are innumerable macro studies that demonstrate the strong positive correlation between sustainability performance and financial performance,' he said. This drives investor interest in companies' ESG integration into corporate planning and strategy. Atkinson linked this trend to regulatory developments. He added: 'Sustainability performance equals financial performance, which equals financial stability. And that's a trend we see continuing.' Atkinson said that there are 3,000 Saudi companies impacted by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requirements. 'This will influence how businesses set up their exports and how we in the financial sector help companies transition to meet these requirements.'
