Challenge
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aimed to raise awareness around its presidency for the upcoming UNCCD COP16, to be hosted in Riyadh. This included spotlighting its environmental leadership through the Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative during the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), held from 30 August to 6 September 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Solution
THOP delivered comprehensive advisory support to the Saudi delegation, led by Deputy Minister of the Environment, Dr. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha. The focus was on reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s environmental commitments and amplifying its role in global climate discourse through high-impact strategic visibility at AMCEN 2024.
Tactics
- Press briefing coordination on 4 September 2024, bringing together six major Ivorian media outlets.
- Facilitation of high-profile interviews with global and regional platforms including CNBC Africa, TV5, and RFI.
- End-to-end event media advisory, including photography, videography, and on-the-ground media engagement throughout the week.
- Messaging alignment with the AMCEN 2024 theme: “Raising Africa’s Ambition to Reduce Land Degradation, Desertification, and Drought”
Outcome
The advisory strategy successfully positioned Saudi Arabia as a committed partner in Africa’s environmental future, setting the stage for its leadership at UNCCD COP16. Dr. Faqeeha’s media engagements highlighted the Kingdom’s proactive approach to combating land degradation and desertification, while securing widespread coverage across prominent platforms including Abidjan.net, Koaci.com, and Fraternité Matin.
Advisory Role
THOP provided tailored strategic guidance to the Saudi delegation throughout AMCEN 2024:
- Media and stakeholder strategy:
Identifying influential African and international media for maximum visibility.
- Narrative development:
Crafting key messages aligned with Saudi Arabia’s environmental goals and the COP16 agenda.
- On-site media engagement:
Managing live media logistics, facilitating interviews, and ensuring consistent messaging.
- Leadership positioning:
Supporting the Deputy Minister’s public appearances to elevate his voice as a leading figure in global environmental action.
