Manama – March 4, 2024 – Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME), a regional platform dedicated to driving net zero and nature positive solutions, today hosted a high-level roundtable on “Green Mobility and the Growth of MENA’s ’s EV Market” bringing together regional experts in transportation and sustainability to address the critical need to decarbonize the sector and the important role of electric vehicles (EVs) in the drive to net-zero.
Joining the panel was Abdulaziz Tawfeeqi, Director of Development, Infracorp, Ali Salman, Renewable Energy Specialist, Electricity and Water Authority (EWA), Ayman Alajmi, Chairman and CEO, Braxtone Group, Dr. Hassan Al-Mulla, VP – Portfolio Management & Corporate Development, Bapco Energies, and Sharat Faqurudheen, Head of IoT Solutions, NGN International. The session was moderated by Kal Subramanian, Head of Markets, KPMG.
The event was held in partnership with First Motors, a leading dealer of electric vehicles in Bahrain, and Infracorp, a Lead Partner of Sustainability Forum Middle East, and the venue partner for the roundtable.
Globally, the transportation sector contributes significantly to overall carbon emissions with the UN putting its contributions at 13% of total global greenhouse gas emissions and 23% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Of these, three-fourths come from road traffic alone.
Panelists explored the role of EVs in tacking these emissions and progress being made across MENA markets to accelerate the adoption of green mobility. They looked at range of topics including necessary actions and collaborations to support the adoption of electric mobility, with a focus on regulatory requirements and incentives, shifts in consumer behavior, needed investments in infrastructure and its roll out, as well as the role of green financing to support the expansion of the EV market and support consumers in purchasing new vehicles.
Commenting on the event, Ms. Laila Danesh, Managing Director of FinMark Communications, the Forum’s founder and organizer, said, “With the vast potential for the EV market in the MENA region and the positive impact it can make on lowering emissions, we were delighted to host this distinguished group of experts. Together they discussed opportunities and challenges that face the industry and consumers as we accelerate this shift and work towards greater uptake of greener mobility solutions.”
Adding, Abdulaziz Tawfeeqi, Director of Development of Infracorp, said, “We were pleased to be a part of this important conversation on how to mainstream green mobility and step up our own efforts to facilitate the adoption of EVs. The necessary infrastructure and investment is essential to decarbonizing key sectors of the economy and we are pleased to be supporting these efforts in the transportation sector as well as other areas.”
Mr. Nawaf Khaled Al Zayani, Managing Director of First Motors said, “The rise in demand for electric vehicles represents an exciting trend that will contribute positively to lowering emissions in the MENA region as adoption grows. As a leading dealer of EVs in the Bahrain market, we are proud to have supported this roundtable, which saw experts exchange ideas and views on how to advance green mobility as part of a broader sustainability agenda adopted here in the Kingdom of Bahrain and around the region.”
This was the first in the Forum’s 2024 Decarbonisation Roundtable Series, events which take place across the region focusing on topics crucial to MENA’s net-zero journey. Sustainability Forum Middle East’s mission is to foster dialogue and collaboration on decarbonisation initiatives in the region with its roundtables serving as platforms for stakeholders to exchange insights, explore opportunities, and drive meaningful action towards achieving net-zero targets.
Supporting the Forum are a group of partners dedicated to regional climate action. These include Lead Partners: Bank ABC and Infracorp, Strategic Partners: Tamkeen, Bapco Energies and Standard Chartered Bank, Forum Partners: APM Terminals Bahrain, Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry), Zu’bi & Partners, The Bahrain Ship Repairing and Engineering Company (BASREC) and American Chamber of Commerce, Bahrain, Official Carrier: Gulf Air Group, and Media Partners: Asharq Business with Bloomberg, BFT and OGN.
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