NEW YORK, 22nd June, 2024 (WAM) — The United Arab Emirates has signed a key agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and prevent the imminent risk of famine. The agreement was signed on behalf of the UAE by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister for International Development Affairs, and on behalf of FAO by, Guangzhou Qu, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in New York, at a special ceremony in New York at the UAE Mission to the UN in New York, and in the presence of Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

FAO has received US$5 million in funding from the UAE, which will be directed towards the project titled ‘Mitigating Famine in Sudan – Support to Conflict-
Affected Vulnerable Smallholder Farming and Pastoralist Households’. The FAO project, set to run for one year, aims to provide emergency crop, livestock, and veterinary assistance to 275,000 vulnerable smallholder farmer and pastoralist households, benefiting approximately 1,375,000 individuals.

It will offer 155,000 vulnerable smallholder farmer households, approximately 775,000 individuals, with emergency livelihood support. Additionally, the project aims to reduce livestock losses through prophylactic vaccination against transboundary animal diseases and deworming, targeting 2 million heads of animals, benefiting approximately 600,000 individuals, with at least 25 percent being women-headed households.

Nusseibeh said, “We must do everything in our power to halt a famine in Sudan. That is what this contribution aims to achieve. Providing emergency agricultural support, which will benefit around 1,375,000 people, can mitigate this risk and enhances the resilience of vulnerable farming and pastoralist communities. Women and girls face a disproportionate impact of the grave threat that conflict poses, which is why the UAE is ensuring that this contribution also includes a specific focus on female-headed households. This initiative not only addresses the immediate needs in Sudan, but contributes to sustainable development and long-term stability.”
AbdulHakim Elwaer, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, stated, “We are grateful for the generous contribution from the UAE, which will significantly enhance our efforts to improve food and nutrition security in Sudan. This support is crucial to the FAO Humanitarian Response Plan 2024 objectives of reaching out to 1.8 million households, ensuring direct livelihoods for 9 million people in Sudan, and contributing to food production for the wider population. We are committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of the people we serve, and this contribution brings us one step closer to our goal in Sudan.”
This contribution is part of UAE’s $70 million commitment announced in April at the ‘International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Neighbouring Countries’ to UN agencies and humanitarian organisations to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Climate change isn’t something people get to choose to believe or not: it’s happening. Since pre-industrial times, human-caused climate change has resulted in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions that has led to an average temperature rise of over 1 degree Celsius on Earth. The next four decades have each been successively warmer than the decade before it since 1850. We are observing a warming atmosphere and changing climatic conditions worldwide as a result of climate change, which has serious consequences for our physical environment.

In 2021, the intergovernmental panel on climate change report sounded a red alert for humanity. It stressed how human influence has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years. This left no room for doubt. The record concentration levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are unequivocally due to human activities rooted in the burning of fossil fuels. The goal of 2015 Paris agreement aims to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius. But at the current trajectory, the world is on, we are at risk of falling significantly short of these targets. According to the World Meteorological Organization, in 2020, the global mean surface temperature was 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than in pre-industrial times. 2020 was also one of the three warmest years on record.

The impact humans have had on the climate has, and continues to, alter nature. We are inching closer and closer to ecological tipping points, many of which are irreversible. Changes in extreme weather are affecting every region of the world, making heat waves, heavy rainfall, and droughts more frequent and severe. This rise in global temperature aggravates the rate at which sea levels are rising, corals are bleaching, the ocean acidifying, biodiversity is being lost and heat waves, tropical cyclones, and fire-related events are taking place. Delicate ecosystems like small low-lying island states, semi-arid and arid areas, and arctic and tundra environments face a greater threat of climate change. However, the environment does not exist in a vacuum and neither does human society.

Everything is interconnected. Every single way in which climate change impacts our environment has a ripple effect that will manifest in the short, medium, or long term. As a threat multiplier, climate change puts us at risk of reversing the gains in growth and sustainable development made in the last few decades. This indicates that the effects of climate change are manifest throughout our social, economic, cultural, and political fabric in addition to affecting our weather patterns and physical surroundings. The way people feel the impacts of climate change and respond to it is determined by multidimensional and intersecting inequalities. If you think that the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money. (Guy McPherson)

The climate crisis disproportionately affects women and girls as they tend to rely more heavily on natural resources, public services, and infrastructure. They are restricted to and very seldom controlled. They are also less represented in decision-making in general, so climate responses are no different. These processes are influenced by the very same socio-economic and cultural norms that discriminate against women and girls in other areas. When it comes to specific climate change impacts, women and girls are particularly affected in at least five areas: food security, water availability, health, gender-based violence, and climate-induced displacement and migration. Women play a critical role in global food security. Many smallholder farmers are women whose livelihoods and food sources are at risk from climate change. In addition, male-dominated structures often govern land ownership, making it hard for women to access the fertile plots that they require to produce food for their survival and that of their families.

Also, climate change is intensifying water scarcity, which adds to women’s time burden as it is often their responsibility to collect fresh water. In addition, high temperatures and salinization of sources of drinking water have a detrimental impact on maternal and child health. Linked to this, the increased incidence of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, cholera, and typhoid increases the risk of pregnant women contracting these diseases. This, combined with unequal care burdens, can disproportionately pressure women and girls to support their families. These demands on women are further intensified during disasters when the risk of sexual and gender-based violence is greatest. Child and forced marriages, as well as increased human trafficking, can occur as a harmful coping mechanism among those who suffer the most from climate change-related economic stress. These challenging economic conditions forced families out of their communities and most of the time, those displaced are women. As we can see, it is those who are least responsible that often bear the brunt of the most adverse effects of climate change. This can further deepen existing inequalities and affect the ability of women and society at large to manage and recover from the impacts of climate change. As former US President Barack Obama once said that “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it”.

Are you excited to join a global coalition of think tank networks that facilitates the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and perspectives? If yes, apply for the Virtual Global Youth Summit. The VGYS is an annual event that gathers young leaders from around the world to discuss innovative solutions to critical global challenges, make creative & bold commitments, build partnerships, and for impactful change in geopolitics, economy, sustainability, and society. It doesn’t really matter what you are studying. No IELTS, No TOEFL, No Application Fee. The applications are open and you can apply for the summit. All international applicants from all parts of the world are eligible to apply. The summit will run from 15th-16th October 2022. The summit is available online. It will be decided by the selection committee if you are selected for the program.

The Virtual Youth Summit on diplomacy and global peace is an innovative virtual program designed to educate diplomacy and international relations students about global developing stories like the war in Ukraine and its impact on global peace, just as important; to provide them with information about local resources that they can use to help a friend, classmate, family member or even themselves. Education and prevention are key elements to curbing potential future changes. Hence, The Virtual Youth Summit on Diplomacy is a FREE, in-program designed for young diplomats, government officials, diplomatic corps, security officers, university students and professors. 40-45 minutes in length to accommodate the average panel period for each topic

Be a change maker

• Be part of the well-known think tank team
• Interview and network with leading leadership voices in the world
• Track your country’s negotiations live and directly
• Support to edit and pitch your stories throughout our programs
• Opportunities to work on collaborative stories with other leaders from around your region, and the world
  Global publicity!

Our program

Day 1

• Opening Speech (YD Team )
• The war in Ukraine and its impact on global peace (Speaker 1)
• The war in Ukraine and its impact on global peace (Speaker 2)
• The Effects of Russia Ukraine War Threats on Developing Countries (Speaker 3)
• The impacts of Russia Ukraine War Threats on Developing Countries (Speaker 4)

Break Out Session -How to prevent the war in the future? (Participants)

Day 2

• How coherent is NATO today and in the future?
• Consequence of Russia Ukraine war on International Trade and Economy (Speaker 1 )
• Consequence of Russia Ukraine war on International Trade and Economy (Speaker 2 )
• The troubling question of what Americans don’t think they need to know!
• Possible ways to end the war in Ukraine – Diplomatic insights (Speaker 1)
• Possible ways to End The war in Ukraine – Diplomatic insights (Speaker 2)
• Why monitoring youth is important
• Break out Session – Youth participation on Global Peace (Participants )
  Closing Session (YD Team )

               

The Summit will promote the talents, creativity and connectedness of young people aged 14-45, and of course, we focus on young women. This summit is just a start: a series of national, regional and global events will follow, where the concept will be contextualized to the national and regional needs of young people. Together; we will learn more here about the Global Youth Mobilization movement.

The 2022 Youth Summit will examine the multi-fold challenges faced by global community and the role of the youth in solving these problems. The Summit will engage young people globally on innovative ideas and solutions to ensure that global peace recovery and growth in the post-COVID world is not only equitable and sustainable but also inclusive along social, environmental, and economic dimensions.

The Youth Summit is an annual event hosted by the Young Diplomats to engage with youth globally on the most pressing issues facing their generation. The Youth Summit is an affiliate of the Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) network, a multifaceted network of young professionals dedicated to engaging, inspiring, and empowering young people in global issues, which aims to inspire and empower youth within and outside their institutions.

The summit also will empower youth to explore innovative ideas to tackle wars and development challenges and provide youth with the tools to build and engage in impactful projects and promote dialogue between youth, and other key stakeholders globally

Eligibility Criteria

• Students of diplomacy and international relations
• Everyone from any nationality can apply.
• The age should be between 14 to 45 years.
• Have a firm grip in the fields of social sciences, geopolitics, climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable development with strong leadership skills.
• Innovative and passionate about the aforementioned fields.
• Should be working on innovative projects that will bring positive developments and peace building.

The projects should foster equity, inclusivity, and collaboration.
The projects should adopt a human-rights approach.

Ideal candidates will…

• Have at least 1 year of experience
• Have a hunger to improve as leader
• Have a proven history of writing quality leadership

Deadline

The last date to apply for the Virtual Youth Summit is October 10, 2022

How to Submit Application?

• Complete your application form carefully and submit it.
• Make sure to submit an application before the deadline.
• All the students have to apply online through the official website.
• Ensure to answer all questions, asked in the application form with a required word limit.

How to Apply

The clock is ticking and we’re excited to review your submission! Alright, you’ve got me! What’s next? APPLY! APPLY! APPLY

To Apply: Please submit your online applications Here

The Young Diplomats Advertisement on The Virtual Youth Summit: Visit Here

We have all been touched by the Covid-19 pandemic in some way – but the impacts have been far from equal. Refugees, asylum seekers and displaced families have largely been forgotten in the Covid-19 conversation. In a pandemic, poverty becomes even more deadly. As more of our lives and work move online, African refugees and displaced families in Chad; and in Africa in general, risk being left out of the game; according to reports of our Africa regional bureau.

While Covid-19 has caused disruption to most people’s lives in Africa and around the world, displaced families and refugees who have children with additional needs or disabilities are experiencing even greater upheaval. Hence, we are calling for all people of faith to support refugees and displaced families in this special season.

As we are approaching the 2021 Eid Al-Adha, we invite you to participate in this year’s Qurban campaign to reach out to the African refugees and displaced families who are in dire need. There are two main celebrations in Muslim cultures around the world which are of most importance, one being Eid Al-Fitr, the celebration of the end of the fasting month – Ramadhan, and Eid Al-Adha, also known as the festival of Sacrifice. It is during this time Muslims prepare a sacrifice in the form of a meat hamper or distribution also known as Qurban. To give Qurban is to not only remind us of the humility of the human spirit, but to also help feed those who are less fortunate. In many cases, there are some poor communities in the world that only eat meat during the Qurban period because of their inability to afford meat.

Who will conduct the Eid Qurban and how will it be distributed?

The Qurban will be personally handled and delivered to the refugees and displaced families who need it the most — in association with local organizations, and be completed and supervised by our Africa regional director, Idriss Zackaria and his team in Chad.

With your assistance, Young Diplomats’ Africa team of dedicated volunteers will help millions of the oppressed and underprivileged displaced families in Chad and around the African continent. Today, even the world’s most developed countries are battling for limited healthcare resources. In comparison, basic amenities like soap and clean running water are hard to come by in those refugees’ camps. Therefore, we call for more actions than Eid Qurban campaigns; we call on concerned countries to make a special effort at this difficult time.

For donations and international bank transfer, the following are the details you may need:

Account Name: NGO Young Diplomats

Bank: United Bank for Africa (UBA)

Account Number: 70403100084

IBAN: 60008 05704 70403100084 52

Swift Code UBA TCHAD: UNAFTDND

Thanks for getting in touch with us:

Email: youngdiplomatsafrica@gmail.com or editor@young-diplomats.com

Website: https://www.young-diplomats.com/

Address: Young Diplomats – Africa Regional Bureau, 6318, N’Djamena, Chad  

For more information about the crisis

https://www.young-diplomats.com/stories-of-hope-and-despair-form-central-african-refugees-in-chad/

https://www.young-diplomats.com/fleeing-war-fighting-for-survival-chadian-returnees-face-new-struggles/

https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2018/3/5aab91664/chad-funding-shortfall-threatens-central-african-refugees.html

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005252

www.young-diplomats.com/inside-nigeria-a-massive-internal-displacement-crisis/

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/02/1003791

Version française

Aïd al-Adha: Partagez vos sacrifices avec les réfugiés et les familles déplacées en Afrique.

Nous avons tous été touchés par la pandémie de Covid-19 d’une manière ou d’une autre – mais les impacts sont loin d’être égaux. Les réfugiés, les demandeurs d’asile et les familles déplacées ont été largement oubliés lors de la conversation Covid-19. Dans une pandémie, la pauvreté devient encore plus meurtrière. Alors que de plus en plus de vies et de travaux se déplacent en ligne, les réfugiés africains et les familles déplacées au Tchad; et en Afrique en général risquent d’être exclus du jeu, selon le rapport de notre bureau régional pour l’Afrique.

Alors que Covid-19 a perturbé la vie de la plupart des gens en Afrique et dans le monde, les familles déplacées et les réfugiés qui ont des enfants ayant des besoins supplémentaires ou des handicaps connaissent des bouleversements encore plus importants. Par conséquent, nous appelons tous les croyants à soutenir les réfugiés et les familles déplacées en cette période spéciale.

Alors que nous nous approchons de l’Aïd Al-Adha 2021, nous vous invitons à participer à la campagne Sacrifice de cette année pour atteindre les réfugiés africains et les familles déplacées qui en ont besoin. Il y a deux célébrations principales dans les cultures musulmanes à travers le monde qui sont les plus importantes, l’une étant l’Aïd Al-Fitr, la célébration de la fin du mois de jeûne – le Ramadhan, et l’Aïd Al-Adha, également connu sous le nom de festival du sacrifice ou l’Aïd El Kabir ou encore Tabaski. C’est pendant cette période que les musulmans préparent un sacrifice sous forme d’un panier à viande ou d’une distribution également connue sous le nom de Qurban. Partager la viande du sacrifice, c’est non seulement nous rappeler l’humilité de l’esprit humain, mais aussi aider à nourrir ceux qui sont dans le besoin. Dans de nombreux cas, certaines communautés pauvres dans le monde ne mangent de la viande que pendant la période de L’Aïd en raison de leur incapacité à acheter de la viande.

Qui dirigera l’opération de distribution de la viande et comment se déroulera-t-elle ?

La distribution sera effectuée en collaboration avec des organisations locales et livré aux réfugiés et aux familles déplacées qui en ont le plus besoin. Cette opération sera supervisée par notre directeur régional pour l’Afrique, Idriss Zackaria et son équipe au Tchad.

Avec votre aide, l’équipe de jeunes volontaires de Young Diplomats Africa aidera des millions de familles déplacées opprimées et défavorisées au Tchad et dans le continent africain. Aujourd’hui, même les pays les plus développés du monde se battent pour des ressources de santé limitées. En comparaison, les équipements de base comme le savon et l’eau courante propre sont difficiles à trouver dans ces camps de réfugiés. Par conséquent, nous appelons à plus d’actions que les campagnes de l’Aïd El Kebir; nous appelons les pays concernés à faire un effort particulier en cette période difficile.

Pour les dons et virement bancaire international, voici les détails dont vous pourriez avoir besoin:

Nom du compte: ONG Young Diplomats

Banque: United Bank for Africa (UBA)

Numéro de compte: 70403100084

IBAN: 60008 05704 70403100084 52

Code Swift UBA TCHAD: UNAFTDND

Vous pouvez nous contacter par :

Email: youngdiplomatsafrica@gmail.com ou editor@young-diplomats.com

Adresse: Young diplomats – Bureau régional pour l’Afrique, 6318, N’Djamena, Tchad

Site Web: https://www.young-diplomats.com/

Pour plus d’informations sur la crise

https://www.young-diplomats.com/stories-of-hope-and-despair-form-central-african-refugees-in-chad/

https://www.young-diplomats.com/fleeing-war-fighting-for-survival-chadian-returnees-face-new-struggles/

https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2018/3/5aab91664/chad-funding-shortfall-threatens-central-african-refugees.html

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005252

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/02/1003791

www.young-diplomats.com/inside-nigeria-a-massive-internal-displacement-crisis/