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Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Peace is impossible without food security

Experts participating at the Noble Peace Laureates Alliance in Rome, have declared that peace is impossible without food security, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Leading discussion on this was the Communications Director, at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Enrique Yeves said, in his introduction to the session on, "Perspectives for Integral Disarmament" that freeing the world from hunger is essential if “we want to build long-lasting peace."

After steadily declining for over a decade, he noted that global hunger is on the rise again, affecting 815 million people in 2016, or 11 per cent of the global population.

“At the same time, multiple forms of malnutrition are threatening the health of millions worldwide,” he said.

The increase, he emphasized has reached 38 million more people than the previous year, which is largely due to the proliferation of violent conflicts and climate-related shocks.

Rural areas and their populations, FAO officer said, have continued to be the most affected by conflicts, as attacks on farming communities undermine rural livelihoods and displace people from their homes

"Just as conflict leads to hunger, hunger can also lead to conflict," Yeves said, stressing that peace is a prerequisite to achieving food security and ending this "vicious circle."  

Further, the FAO Communications Director warned that conflict has driven northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen to the brink of famine and triggered acute food insecurity also in Burundi, Iraq and elsewhere.

He noted that 489 million of the 815 million chronically food-insecure and malnourished people in the world live in countries affected by conflict.

Expressing optimistic that agriculture is part of the solution, he cited for instance that over 75 per cent of the world's poor and food insecure depend on agriculture and natural resource-based livelihoods, in conflict situations, agriculture and food security can give new life to affected homes and communities, bringing people together and driving recovery.

"The right mix of humanitarian aid and rural development can set the foundations for rebuilding livelihoods," he said.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Malala honoured as youngest UN Messenger of Peace

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, has designated children’s rights activist and Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai as a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls’ education, reports NaijaAgroNet.

“You have been to the most difficult places […] visited several refugee camps. Your foundation has schools in Lebanon, in the Beka’a Valley,” said Mr. Guterres at a ceremony in the Trusteeship Council chamber at UN Headquarters, in New York.
“[You are a] symbol of perhaps the most important thing in the world, education for all,” he highlighted.
Ms. Yousafzai, who was shot in 2012 by the Taliban for attending classes, is the youngest-ever UN Messenger of Peace and the first one to be designated by Secretary-General Guterres since he assumed office in January this year.
Accepting the accolade, Ms. Yousafzai underscored the importance of education, especially education of girls, for advancing communities and societies.
“[Bringing change] starts with us and it should start now,” she said, adding: “If you want to see your future bright, you have to start working now [and] not wait for anyone else.”
UN Messengers of Peace are distinguished individuals, carefully selected from the fields of art, literature, science, entertainment, sports or other fields of public life, who have agreed to help focus worldwide attention on the work of the global Organization.
Backed by the highest honour bestowed by the Secretary-General on a global citizen, these prominent personalities volunteer their time, talent and passion to raise awareness of UN’s efforts to improve the lives of billions of people everywhere.

Nkem Nweke/GEE 
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Monday, September 21, 2015

Google, MasterCard, others support WFP initiative for families affected by war

 NaijaAgroNet

Google, MasterCard are among multi-industry effort that represents a powerful, tangible way to make a difference toward peace, refugees, displaced people and their families, NaijaAgroNet reports.  

On 21 September, the International Day of Peace, global brands are joining forces across industries and geographies in an unprecedented effort to highlight the vital role of food assistance in creating a more peaceful world. Many companies are donating television and digital media channels to drive support for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the frontline agency fighting hunger. 

First championed by McDonald, other supporting companies include Burger King, Cargill, DreamWorks Animation, Facebook, McCain, McDonald's, OMD, Twitter, TBWA and United Airlines.

World Food Programme Executive Director, Ertharin Cousin, NaijaAgroNet gathered, said, "Today is about people coming together across regions and cultures to take action for a hunger-free and peaceful world. Food assistance plays a powerful role in times of conflict by saving lives and alleviating suffering. Food brings and keeps families together. Food security gives families hope during desperate times while eliminating the need for families to resort to extreme and harmful measures as the only option for survival."

Cousin further said, "Humanity has one future together. This effort provides a great example of people and companies joining forces to make sure we achieve the goal of a zero hunger future".

All funds raised from this effort, NaijaAgroNet, will go to WFP's emergency response fund that is used to support WFP's most critical operations, including crises in and around Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen. With more people displaced now than any time since World War II, the needs are greater than the resources.

"The private sector has a significant role to play in ending hunger and promoting peace," said  WFP Director of Private Sector Partnerships, Jay Aldous. "And this global effort is a powerful example of brands coming together with one voice to make a tangible impact in the lives of vulnerable people."

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE
 
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Pix: Ertharin Cousin,

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

EU invests N251.1billion in West Africa



The European Union (EU) will pump about €1.15 billion (N251.1b) into peace, security and regional stability, including support to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional mandates, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Other aspects of interest covered by the fund include regional economic integration and trade, the private sector, regional integration and support for infrastructure.

The assistance made possible by the 11th European Development Fund, NaijaAgroNet gathered, was made public during the signing of a new regional funding for cooperation between European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimic and  representatives of regional organizations from West Africa.

 Mimica said, “Regional integration in West Africa is already bearing impressive fruits and today’s signing is the ambitious starting point for preparing new, concrete projects that will benefit the region and its countries. Having almost doubled our support from the last programming period, we will work with a wide range of partners to tackle the challenges that remain in West Africa, such as peace and security, economic integration and trade, as well as sustainable development,” NaijaAgroNet learnt.

The West Africa Regional Indicative Programme was co-signed by President Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and President Cheikhe Hadjibou Soumaré of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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