$1 million-worth of the Prince Talal International Prize award for pioneers in the field of “Decent Work and Economic Growth"

Under the auspices and in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Aziz bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz, President of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development – AGFUND and Chairman of the Prize Committee, AGFUND celebrated the winners of the Prince Talal International Prize for the year 2022 in the field of “Decent Work and Economic Growth.” 

The theme of the prize matches the 8th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals. The ceremony was held in Dubai, on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). 

As part of the ceremony, which was attended by a large number of representatives from the United Nations, civil society groups, and development experts, dialogue sessions were held with AGFUND’s strategic partners and prize winners. The sessions focused on development issues and themes of climate action, including combating desertification. On the day of the ceremony, COP28 celebrated the themes of finance, trade, gender Equality, and accountability. 

The Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development shows a firm commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is an engine for change and a catalyst for stimulating successful experiences, encouraging the flourishing of similar projects, and exploring development initiatives.

In a statement by Prince Abdul Aziz bin Talal following the announcement of the winners, His Highness expressed his gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for hosting the award ceremony and congratulated the winners for their efforts towards sustainable development. He called on them to keep up the good work, emphasizing the importance of consolidating creativity and innovation in the field of development. AGFUND plans to replicate the ideas of the winning projects in developing countries so more people can benefit.  

For his part, AGFUND Executive Director Dr. Nasser Alkahtani explained that the Prince Talal International Prize has established its position globally and is welcomed in international circles. He said: The high appreciation that the prize receives does not only stem from its adoption of central development issues. However, this appreciation basically stems from the global respect for the great name (Prince Talal bin Abdul Aziz) and his rich history in the fields of development, as well as AGFUND’s position on the international development map.

The Prince Talal International Prize carries a financial reward of $1,000,000 (U.S.) awarded by AGFUND. Every year, the committee dedicates its theme to one of the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The winning projects for the year 2022 were as follows:

The first category award, worth $400,000, went to the "The World Bank Development Finance Project" implemented by the World Bank in Nigeria, allocated to projects by UN agencies or international and regional NGOs.

The second category award went to the “Gaza Emergency Cash for Work and Self-Employment Support” project implemented by NGO Development Center in Palestine. The award is worth $300,000 and is allocated to projects by national NGOs. 

The third category award, worth $200,000 and allocated to projects by governmental bodies (ministries and public institutions) or social business enterprises, went to the "Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development in Egypt (DT4SDE)" project implemented by Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in Egypt

The “JEPSEGER WOMEN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM” project implemented by Mr. David Kogo (COSDEP Self Help Group) in Kenya, won the fourth category award, allocated to projects initiated, funded and/or implemented by individuals, with a value of $100,000.

Within the framework of the Prince Talal International Prize ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed between AGFUND and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). Also, a letter of intent was signed with the University of Chicago. Another memorandum of understanding of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Finally, a joint agreement was signed with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and African Risk Capacity.

In addition, AGFUND urged all concerned parties to submit nominations for the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development for the year 2023 in the field of “Life on Land,” the 15th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals. The deadline for submitting nominations has been extended to January 15, 2024.