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
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 States as leaders in green industrial policies, leveraging investment to drive green economic growth across 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.
World-Class Partners
The initiative hosts two in-person forums, each bringing together more than 50 participants for two days of meetings. Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, a leading climate policy research and advocacy center and a member of Qatar Foundation, is the Initiative’s partner for the Rihla Policy Forum, taking place in Doha in November 2025. B&BF is in discussions with potential Saudi partners for the Rihla Implementation Forum in Riyadh in May 2026. Public panels are organized in collaboration with renowned regional institutions.
The Rihla Summit in September 2026 will serve as the initiative’s capstone event, engaging policymakers, industry leaders, and GCC representatives. The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), a world-class Emirati diplomatic institute, is the Initiative’s partner for the Rihla Summit in Abu Dhabi.
A People-Powered Initiative
The Rihla Initiative is founded on the principle that young professionals are uniquely positioned to drive an ambitious climate agenda for the GCC and countries in the Global South.
The Initiative establishes a network of around 100 young professionals from the Gulf and the Global South through two groups of councils: the Policy Councils and the Implementation Councils. The councils are organised by region.
Council members engage in a structured sequence of activities over the initiative’s two-year duration, delivering ten virtual workshops, ten public panels, eight simulation exercises, two forums, and a high-profile summit.
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, it acts as a central platform for regional dialogue on green initiatives and Gulf-led climate diplomacy, reinforcing the Gulf’s leadership in shaping the future of sustainable finance in the Global South.