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Prince Talal bin Muhammad, deputizing for King Abdullah II, honored the awardees of the 2023 and 2024 King Hussein Cancer Research Award, in the presence of Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center.

In her speech, Princess Ghida said: “We established the King Hussein Cancer Research Award with a specific goal in mind: to launch Arab scientific initiatives that will be the cornerstone for regional advancement, and lessen our reliance on Western research. Tonight, we celebrate Arab scientists and researchers who have excelled in cancer research, honoring them as symbols of perseverance, creativity and innovation.”

Thirteen Arab medical scientists from across the world were selected from a pool of 472 researchers from more than 20 countries, in recognition of their influential contributions to cancer research.

2024 winners: Lifetime Achievement Awardees were Prof. Mohamad Mohty from Saint Antoine Hospital in France (International track), and Prof. Randah Hamadeh from Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain (Regional track). The Young Investigator Awardees included Dr. Bishoy Faltas from Weill Cornell School of Medicine in the US (International track) and Dr. Mohammad Abufaraj from the University of Jordan in Jordan (Regional track), and the Promising Researcher Grantees were Dr. Ola Sabet from the Children Cancer Hospital 57357 in Egypt and Dr. Adhari Al-Zaabi from Sultan Qaboos University in Oman.

2023 winners: Lifetime Achievement Awardees were Dr. Toni Choueiri from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the US (International track) and Prof. Ali Shamseddine from the Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon (Regional track). The Young Investigator Awardees included Prof. Hatem Azim from Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico (International track) and Dr. Yacoub Yousef from KHCC in Jordan (Regional track), and the Promising Researcher Grantees were Dr. Hadeel Halalsheh from KHCC in Jordan and Dr. Hiba El-Hajj from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. KHCC’s Hospital Based Health Technology Assessment Program received the 2023 Academic Program Excellence award.

The awards ceremony was attended by the award’s board of directors, which includes leading doctors, researchers, and oncologists from across the world, media figures, partners, and sponsors.

The COP29 Presidency hosted the Business, Investment & Philanthropy Climate Platform to harness the collective power of the private sector and drive progress for climate action.

This year’s event marked the second edition of the inaugural Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum, which was first held during COP28 last year in the UAE.

The convening continues to serve as the primary platform for private sector engagement inside the COP process.

The event gathered over 900 global leaders from the business, finance and philanthropic communities to drive practical and sustained action towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UAE Consensus.

The agenda featured a range of high-profile speakers including COP29 President, Mukhtar Babayev, minister of ecology and natural resources, Azerbaijan; Mikayil Jabbarov, minister of economy, Azerbaijan; Nigar Arpadarai, COP29 UN climate change high-level champion; Makhtar Diop, managing director, IFC; Alok Sharma KCMG, COP26 president; Majid Al-Suwaidi, CEO, Alterra Fund; and Badr Jafar, special envoy for business and philanthropy, UAE.

In his keynote address, Jafar, who chaired the inaugural Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum at COP28, shared a profound perspective on the urgent need for global cooperation in climate finance.

"The UAE Consensus serves as a beacon for multi-stakeholder climate action, and we stand at a critical juncture where the power of public-private partnerships must be harnessed to unlock the vast resources required to address the escalating challenges of climate change."

Building on the foundations laid during COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum in Dubai which saw over $7 billion in private capital commitments, the Baku edition focused on finance and real economy actors for progress with attendees from around the world keen to advance the integration of the private sector in climate action.

Emphasizing the role of the private sector, Jafar said: "Governments alone cannot shoulder this responsibility; we need the innovation, resources, and commitment of the private sector more than ever. 

“As businesspeople, as philanthropists, as investors, we can and must take this long-term approach, transcending short-term politics. That is what will drive consistent progress that builds and scales impact."

The event’s discussions referred to the trillions of dollars per year needed to deliver net zero and nature positive outcomes across the developing countries of the world.

However it was also highlighted that there is well over $100 trillion in assets under management, between sovereign wealth, pensions, insurance and family offices.

Worldwide net private wealth stands at over $450 trillion and it is set to increase more than 6 percent annually to the end of the decade.

Therefore the availability of capital is not necessarily the issue – what is urgently required are the mechanisms to channel this capital toward investments in climate solutions across the so-called Global South.

The sessions also dedicated significant attention to advancing public-private collaboration, specifically targeting the acceleration of foreign direct investment for climate action.

Discussions pinpointed the key enablers of FDI for developing countries and highlighted the importance of consistent, scaled-up financial flows to emerging markets.

The various messages delivered at the forum resonated with urgency and optimism.

Collaborative efforts showcased at the event set the stage for ongoing and scaled action at future COP meetings.

The Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum remains a critical platform for integrating business and philanthropic leadership into the global climate action framework.

By bringing together leaders from all key sectors, the forum fosters multi-stakeholder discussions and action, driving progress toward global climate and nature targets.