Riyadh: The Committee of the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development held its 26th meeting today at the headquarters of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) in Riyadh. The meeting was chaired by Chair of AGFUND's Board of Directors and Chair of the Prize Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz.
According to Saudi Press Agency, during the meeting, the committee announced the winners of the 2024 edition of the Prince Talal Prize, which focused on Sustainable Development Goal 14: 'Life Below Water.' Out of 62 nominated projects across four categories, 29 qualified for final evaluation, and four were selected as winners.
The prize, valued at $1 million, is awarded annually by AGFUND to outstanding development initiatives that generate tangible impact at the local, regional, or international level.
The winning projects for 2024 are as follows: 'Tide Turner Plastic Challenge: Catalyzing Youth Action to Reduce Plastic Pollution Through Behaviour Change' project by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), implemented in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, and Madagascar received the award for the First Category-projects by UN, international, or regional organizations-with a prize value of $400,000.
The 'NetCYCLE AFRICA: Closing the Loop on Waste Fishnets in Africa' by Chaint Afrique Academy, Ghana, won the award for the Second Category-projects by national NGOs-with a prize value of $300,000.
For the award of Third Category-projects by government entities, public institutions, or social enterprises-the 'Zero-Plastic Oceans (ZPO)' by eTrash2Cash (eT2C), Nigeria, with a prize value of $200,000. In the Fourth Category-projects by individuals-'ALG UNO: Transforming Marine Algae into Sustainable Biostimulants and Biofertilizers' by Abdelilah Hammada, Morocco, won the award with a prize value of $100,000.
The committee also announced that the 2025 edition of the prize will focus on Sustainable Development Goal 7: 'Affordable and Clean Energy,' which calls for ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz chairs the Prize Committee, and its members include Queen Sofia of Spain, Executive President of the Queen Sofia Foundation and Honorary President of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Persons with Disabilities; former First Lady of Uruguay and Honorary President of Todos Por Uruguay Mercedes Menafra; Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder of Grameen Bank Prof. Muhammad Yunus; former President of the Islamic Development Bank Group Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Ali; and former Director General of the OPEC Fund for International Development Dr. Yousef Sayed Abdullah.