Canada responds to multiple food crises in sub-Saharan Africa with $19.8m

NaijaAgroNet:

The Canadian government has responded to multiple food crises in the sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, with the sum of $19.8 million, about N70,967,741,935.48 billion, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This, Canada said, would assist in addressing the critical needs of millions of vulnerable people across sub-Saharan Africa, including women and children suffering from a lack of access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their daily needs —the result of severe drought and conflict.

Proclaiming this via the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, the $19.8 million is additional funding to address extreme levels of food insecurity in Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan and Uganda.

In these seven countries and neighbouring regions, Canada’s funding of experienced and trusted Canadian and international partners will respond to critical humanitarian needs. This includes the provision of basic necessities, such as emergency food, potable water, adequate sanitation, health care, shelter and protection services.

“Canada is pleased to provide critical humanitarian assistance to address the effects of drought and conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa and to ensure those requiring emergency assistance are reached. Today’s announcement will help save lives, alleviate suffering and bring relief to people who need urgent help,” Marc-André Blanchard said.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that in March 2017, Canada voted close to $120 million in humanitarian funding in response to severe food crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

Also, between March 17 and June 30, 2017, Canadians generously donated over $21.3 million to registered Canadian charities in response to humanitarian crises, including an unprecedented famine, food insecurity and conflict-induced displacements affecting over 55 million people across Africa.

Uj. N. Dominic/ED, Ops

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Canada rejoins UN convention to combat desertification

NaijaAgroNet:

The Canadian government has formally delivered its documentation to re-accede to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), reports NaijaAgroNet.

Canada in an official press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet, Tuesday, said this step is to further demonstrate its commitment to joining world action to slow land degradation and desertification and to mitigate the effects of drought.

According to the Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard, the link between land degradation and climate change is undeniable.

Canada, Blanchard said, is committed to working with its partners to improve the resilience of developing countries to climate change and environmental degradation, which disproportionately affects women and girls.

Blanchard further said that Canada will work closely with multilateral partners to address poverty, fight inequality and promote sustainable land and resource management.

“The UNCCD is an inclusive body that brings together many diverse voices to tackle complex global issues. In re-acceding to the convention, Canada is taking concrete action to work with multilateral partners on these important challenges,” Ambassador Blanchard said.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that Canada first acceded to the UNCCD in 1995 and formally withdrew in 2014, becoming the only UN member state not party to the convention.

Just as Canada is the sixth-largest contributor to the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which, as the financial mechanism of the UNCCD, currently allocates less than 10 per cent of its $4.43-billion budget to support efforts to combat land degradation.

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Canada responds to Hurricane Matthew, supports Haiti with N12.6bn

NaijaAgroNet:

The Canadian government has drummed support for Haiti in response to the Hurricane Matthew to the tune of $54 million, about N12,628,569,600 billion, repots NaijaAgroNet

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, made this disclosure recently on her first official visit to Haiti, where she met with Canadian and international humanitarian partners working in the most affected areas and government officials in Port-au-Prince., saying the $54 million in funding is to support various humanitarian and development projects in Haiti.

This funding, she said, includes $2.65 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help meet the immediate needs of those affected by natural disasters and $1.4 million to support the ongoing election in Haiti and ensure citizens are able to participate at polling stations in affected areas, as well as a $50-million call for proposals to strengthen agriculture through long-term development projects.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the damages caused by Hurricane Matthew severely affected Haiti’s local food resources, including fishing and agriculture. Canada has been one of the top donors in responding to the effects of the hurricane. Today’s additional humanitarian assistance funding will help provide emergency food assistance and respond to the agricultural needs of the most vulnerable.

These initiatives are part of Canada’s balanced response to Hurricane Matthew and long-term development needs which are in line with Canada’s long-standing engagement in Haiti.

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Canada denounces attack on Syrian displaced persons camp

NaijaAgroNet:

The Government of Canada has condemned attack on Syrian displaced persons camp, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, in a press statement available to NaijaAgroNet on the airstrike on the Kamouna camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Syria, strongly condemned the attack.

Part of the statement read:

“Canada strongly condemns the bombing of the Kamouna IDP camp in the Syrian province of Idlib. The death and destruction is heartbreaking. On behalf of all Canadians, we are deeply saddened by the loss of life and hope for a speedy recovery for those injured.

“If this was a deliberate attack targeting civilians, then it was a war crime and the perpetrators must be held accountable. This incident follows the recent escalation of violence, particularly against hospitals and clinics in Aleppo, and further undermines the efforts of the international community to resolve the conflict peacefully.

“Canada calls on all parties to immediately adhere to the Terms for Cessation of Hostilities in Syria agreement and to return to the negotiating table in good faith. The people of Syria deserve a future that has hope and is free from violence. It is up to the parties to work toward that.”

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