The Rihla Initiative was created to address a core gap in the global climate finance ecosystem: the lack of sustained, policy-driven mechanisms that align Gulf capital with host-country development priorities and realistic implementation pathways. Over the past year, Rihla has evolved into a trusted platform linking policymakers, financiers, and technical experts through regional workshops, simulation exercises, public panels, and the Rihla Policy Forum.

As the inaugural annual Rihla Summit, this convening establishes a long-term, Gulf-anchored platform for structured cooperation between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and key regions across the Global South, including the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The Summit is designed as a system-building forum that integrates strategic analysis, climate finance, and implementation pathways to advance green industrialisation, economic resilience, and productive growth.