The Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the Indigenous Communities in the Middle East Region: The Precarious Foundation of the Right to Consultation

The ambitious Belt and Road Initiative is believed to boost the economic development of the Middle Eastern countries. ts official framework aligns with the transformative vision of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), advocating for the meaningful inclusion of indigenous communities in decision-making processes that could significantly impact their environments and livelihoods. Despite the essential spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative to promote inclusiveness and transparency consistent with the principles of the UN Charter, the existing paradigm fails to provide robust and effective protection for the indigenous communities. This gap is further exacerbated with the absence of effective domestic legal mechanisms to prevent extractive projects from engaging in environmentally damaging projects, which in turn, subject the indigenous people living in the naturally oil-and-gas-rich areas in the region to the adverse consequences of an unregulated oil and gas industry. The article contends that the right to consultation within the Belt and Road Initiative framework currently lacks binding obligations for financial enterprises and companies to uphold preferential standards for indigenous populations, rendering it legally ineffective. It concludes by proposing an alternative framework aimed at ensuring the meaningful realization of these rights in a more pragmatic and effective manner.