As part of its Panel Series, the Rihla Initiative is hosting public panels in each region with leading institutional partners. Following events in Abu Dhabi, Rabat, Pretoria, and Bangkok, the Almaty panel — co-organised with the Central Asian Policy Studies (CAPS Unlock) — marks the final regional dialogue before the Rihla Policy Forum in Doha in November.

The CAC region is becoming increasingly central to the global green transition. Rich in renewable energy potential and critical minerals, and strategically located between the Gulf, China, and Europe, it offers major opportunities for Gulf–CAC cooperation in clean energy, water security, sustainable infrastructure, and green industrialisation. This panel will explore how to strengthen these ties and ensure investments deliver long-term, inclusive value.

Panelists

·       Shakhlo Kamaladinova, Regional Coordinator for Central Asia & the Caucasus, Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth

·       Aruzhan Meirkhanova, Policy Council Member for Central Asia and the Caucasus, Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth

·       Mohammed Al Breiki, Gulf Committee Member, Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth (based in Qatar, online)

·       Yunis Sharifli, Policy Council Member for Central Asia and the Caucasus, Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth (based in Turkey, online)

·       Zuhra Halimova, Senior Advisor, CAPS Unlock (based in Tajikistan, online)

     Moderator

·       Mehran Haghirian, Director of Research and Programmes, Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

On October 2, 2025, the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation convened the fourth edition of the Rihla Initiative Panel Series under the theme of Gulf Investment in Green Economic Growth Across South and Southeast Asia. Hosted in Bangkok, this event brought together a diverse group of policymakers, investors, and researchers to explore how Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states can play a greater role in accelerating the green transition and building long-term economic resilience across the SSEA region. The panel also examined the growing strategic relevance of Gulf climate finance in SSEA, and how future investments can foster co-created development ecosystems, expand adaptation finance in critical sectors like water, agriculture, and coastal resilience, and support more inclusive, regionally integrated growth.

Panelists: Dhabia Al Mohannadi, MacKenzie King, Railla Puno, and Dao Nguyen

Moderator: Mehran Haghirian

Join us in Pretoria, South Africa, as we examine how Gulf capital can accelerate Africa’s green transition, with South Africa as the entry point for regional scaling.

Sub-Saharan Africa is entering a decisive decade for climate action and green growth. The region offers vast renewable energy potential and critical mineral resources essential for the clean energy transition. However, unlocking this potential requires large-scale investment that many countries cannot mobilise domestically.  Gulf states, meanwhile, are emerging as important partners in climate finance. Their sovereign wealth funds, development banks, and private investors are increasingly drawn to Africa as part of broader economic diversification strategies, their commitments to climate action, and efforts to secure long-term food and energy security.

Convened by the Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth in partnership with the South African Institute of International Affairs and supported by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Pretoria, this event will examine how Gulf capital can accelerate Africa’s green transition, with South Africa as the entry point for regional scaling.

While Gulf financing spans the continent, certain countries have already emerged as front-runners. South Africa is increasingly seen as a hub for utility-scale renewable energy and green hydrogen, and its strong financial markets, infrastructure base, and policy frameworks make it a natural gateway for Gulf investment into the wider region.

• What are the main drivers behind Gulf financing in Sub-Saharan Africa, and how do they intersect with climate objectives?

• How can South Africa’s experience as a key country for Gulf-backed renewable energy and hydrogen projects inform wider regional strategies?

• Which financing and policy frameworks are best suited to deepen Gulf-Africa cooperation while ensuring inclusive and sustainable development?

On September 23, 2025, the Policy Center for the New South, the Imal Initiative for Climate & Development, and the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation, will co-organize the second edition of the Rihla Initiative Panel Series under the theme of Gulf Investment in Green Economic Growth Across the Middle East and North Africa. Convened in Rabat, this event will bring together policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to explore the future of climate finance and regional cooperation on green economic growth between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The sessions will highlight both practical experiences and policy insights on how the region can mobilize resources, scale up investment, and build cross-border economic partnerships in sectors such as renewable energy, green industry, and sustainable agriculture. Discussions will also address challenges including fragmented regulatory frameworks, inadequate access to international climate finance, and the political economy of fossil fuel dependence.

With two thematic panels, one focusing on key recommendations for policymakers with analysis from think tankers and experts, and another on case studies and success stories with policy experts and practitioners, the event will provide a platform to bridge policy and practice. The aim is to generate actionable recommendations for how Gulf financial resources and MENA renewable energy and green industrial potential can be leveraged to drive inclusive, low-carbon growth and strengthen the region’s collective leadership in the global climate effort and clean energy transition.

Rihla Initiative Panel Series - Gulf

Join us for the first edition of the Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth Panel Series taking place at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy on September 15 at 13:30 Abu Dhabi time.

Rihla Gulf Committee members, Jamila El Mir, Majd Fayyad, and Reem Alhashmi, along with Mehran Haghirian and Moustafa Bayoumi will be discussing Gulf investment in Green Economic Growth across the Global South.