Bandar Al-Nahdi, first secretary at Saudi Arabia’s UN Mission in New York

Bandar Al-Nahd
Updated 18 May 2019
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Bandar Al-Nahdi, first secretary at Saudi Arabia’s UN Mission in New York

Bandar Al-Nahdi has been the first secretary at the permanent mission of Saudi Arabia to the UN in New York since July 2018. He is also the chairman of the Saudi finance and economic committee.

Prior to that, he served as the head of the consular section at the Saudi Embassy in the Kenyan capital Nairobi for two years and three months between 2016 and 2018.

He was also the second secretary of the department of multilateral organizations at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Riyadh, between 2015 and 2016.

From 2006 until 2014, Al-Nahdi held the post of third secretary at the Saudi Embassy in the Netherlands and was the Kingdom’s representative to the international institutions in The Hague.

Al-Nahdi achieved a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, US.

Recently, he addressed a high-level UN session in New York on international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on asset return. He stressed that the issue continued to pose a major threat to the financial stability of states and their ability to achieve national goals for sustainable development.

Al-Nahdi said that illicit financial flows were constantly increasing beyond detection, resulting in distorted macroeconomic stability, and the creation of severe complications for developing countries that could not afford more burdens while denying them of the resources needed to advance their economic, social and cultural rights, in particular, the right of development.


Red Sea Global unveils scientific model for regenerative tourism worldwide

Updated 5 sec ago
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Red Sea Global unveils scientific model for regenerative tourism worldwide

  • The report details the model’s rollout at “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA” destinations, backed by studies covering 8 marine habitats

TABUK: Red Sea Global (RSG) has unveiled a science-based model aimed at achieving a 30% net positive conservation benefit across its tourism destinations by 2040. 

The framework is now available for global adoption, according to a statement released by RSG.

Owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Red Sea Global is the multi-project developer behind ambitious regenerative tourism destinations like “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA.” 

As a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the company aims to diversify the national economy while setting new global benchmarks for sustainable, nature-positive development.

CEO John Pagano stated that openly sharing this detailed approach will help elevate the global tourism sector and secure a healthier environment for future generations.
 

Map showing the boundaries of the Red Sea Zone. (Graphic from the RSG report)

The cornerstone of this initiative is the proprietary SIIG Model, a four-step framework:
• Survey: Establish biodiversity baselines and monitor long-term changes.
• Identify: Assess risks to priority habitats and species.
• Intervene: Execute evidence-based actions, such as regulating fishing and enhancing natural habitats.
• Gain: Measure and verify biodiversity improvements.

The report details the model’s rollout at “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA” destinations, backed by extensive 2022–2023 environmental baseline studies covering eight marine habitats and priority species groups during 2022 and 2023. 

A major intervention is the 5,015-square-kilometer Fishery Management Area in Al-Wajh Lagoon. The plan reserves 38% of the area for priority conservation—protecting 62% of local coral reefs—while allocating 61% for sustainable fishing.

According to scientific modeling, eliminating fishing in high-protection zones could increase reef fish populations by 113%, sharks and rays by 72%, and marine mammals by 24%. These measures are expected to boost coral resilience, support ecosystem recovery, and protect vulnerable species like sea turtles and seabirds.
Ihab Kindi, RSG’s Red Sea Destination Executive Director, called the data-driven model a practical roadmap for large-scale marine recovery. The complete methodology is available in the new report, “The SIIG Model: A Roadmap Toward Achieving Measurable Conservation Gains.”