About Rihla
The Rihla Initiative derives its name from the 14th-century travelogue by Arab explorer Ibn Battuta, The Rihla, which symbolises the historical ties between the Gulf and the Global South. The initiative maps new pathways for climate transition and economic prosperity. The initiative is founded on the principle that young professionals are uniquely positioned to drive an ambitious climate agenda for the Gulf States and countries in the Global South.
Targeting Green Growth Across the Global South
The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation (B&BF) launched the Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth in spring 2025 to advance cooperation on climate transition and sustainable economic development among policy, commercial, and technical leaders from the Gulf and the Global South.
The initiative seeks to position the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states as leaders in green industrial policies, leveraging investment to drive green economic growth in four regions: the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Supported by a grant from the Open Society Foundations, the initiative is driven by high-impact partnerships with regional institutions to organize convenings, generate research, and engage policymakers and industry leaders.
A People-Powered Initiative
The Rihla Initiative has established a network of around 100 professionals from the Gulf and the Global South through two councils: the Policy Council and the Implementation Council.
The four regional councils and the Gulf Committee each engage in a structured sequence of activities over the initiative’s two-year duration, delivering ten virtual workshops, ten public panels, four simulation exercises, a policy forum, and a high-profile summit.
The initiative will produce a 20+ chapter Policy Framework for Gulf Climate Finance, three major reports, ten issue briefs, and a series of insight articles.
A Platform for Policymaking
The Rihla Initiative serves as a dedicated platform for the Gulf states to collaborate at multiple levels of engagement. The initiative provides a policy framework for the Gulf states to align their green investment strategies, build regional synergies, and establish a unified GCC approach to sustainable economic growth.
Additionally, Rihla acts as a central platform for regional dialogue on green initiatives and Gulf-led climate diplomacy, reinforcing the GCC’s leadership in shaping the future of sustainable finance and economic development in the Global South.