Riyadh: The Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development Committee has announced the four winning projects for the 2025 Prize, with a financial reward of $1 million awarded by AGFUND, under the theme 'Affordable and Clean Energy,' the seventh Sustainable Development Goal.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the winning projects were announced during the 27th Meeting of the Prize Committee, held at AGFUND headquarters in Riyadh. The meeting was chaired by Chairman of AGFUND's Board of Directors and Chairman of the Prize Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz. It brought together committee members including Queen Sofia of Spain, Executive President of the Queen Sofia Foundation and Honorary President of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Handicapped Persons; Former First Lady of Uruguay and President of Honor of Todos Por Uruguay Mercedes Menafra; and former Director General of the OPEC Fund for International Development Dr. Yusuf Sayed Abdullah.
A total of 160 projects were nominated for this year's prize, with 64 qualifying projects meeting the prize criteria. The winning projects are as follows:
The first category, specified for projects implemented by UN agencies or international and regional NGOs, was won by 'Climate-resilient, Community-led Water Supply Systems in Myanmar', implemented by UNICEF in Myanmar.
In the second category, which specifies projects implemented by national NGOs, the winning project is 'Capacity and Structure Building for Sustainable Food Security and Community-Based Conflict Management to Strengthen Resilience of Conflict-Affected Agro-Pastoral IDPs and Host Communities,' implemented by Nomadic Assistance for Peace and Development (NAPAD) in Kenya and Somalia.
For the third category, designating projects implemented by governmental bodies or social business enterprises, the winning project is 'The Bio-360: Waste-to-Biofuel AI-Solution', implemented by D-Olivette Labs in Nigeria.
Lastly, in the fourth category, specified for projects initiated, funded, and/or implemented by individuals, the winning project is 'Scaling solar Irrigation-as-a-Service and climate-smart farming advisory to transform smallholder livelihoods', implemented by Oorja Development Solutions India Private Limited in India.
Since its establishment in 1999, the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development has recognized 95 winning projects, celebrating innovative initiatives that contribute to advancing sustainable development and promoting excellence in development practices.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal emphasized: "These figures represent far more than statistics. They reflect a growing global commitment to innovation as a driving force for sustainable development. They also stand as a testament to the credibility, integrity, and international standing that the prize has earned over nearly three decades."
Additionally, the prize committee chose the theme 'Good Health and Well-being,' reflecting Goal SDG3, as the prize subject for the year 2026, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.