The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) participated in the 4th The Arab Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency forum, held in Kuwait last month on 6-7 May. It recommended the development of cohesive programs to integrate Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDGs) and the Arab Strategy for Sustainable Energy into national strategies.

"The world we know is changing," said Najib Saab, AFED secretary general. "Our region is undergoing major shifts towards resource efficiency". Saab called for concerted Arab efforts to benefit from the Arab countries combined resources, especially if it is about investing in renewable energies and the benefits gained if rightly oriented towards vital projects.

Jamila Matar, representative of the Secretariat of the Arab League, stressed the need to raise the credit capacity of the Arab countries and coordinate with national, regional and international funding institutions, as this represents positive factors affecting lending conditions for the financing of sustainable energy projects.

The final communiqué of the forum called for the enactment of a set of laws and legislations related to investment incentives and exemptions through the reduction of customs duties, taxes and risks related to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, the development of a tax mechanism or policies related to production and the number of workers to support local manufacturing.

The recommendations will be submitted to the General Secretariat of the Arab League to coordinate with relevant regional and international organizations to play a key role in this regard, taking into account the efforts of Member States to develop integrated programs to integrate the SDGs and the Arab Strategy for Sustainable Energy into national strategies.