Qatar
Dryland alliance introduced to diplomats
Dryland alliance introduced to diplomats
In the presence of directors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment, the Global Dryland Alliance (GDA) hosted a dinner reception for the heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of international organisations in Doha. In his remarks to the guests, GDA executive director ambassador Bader al-Dafa discussed how the GDA initiative was introduced by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to establish an international organisation aimed at making dryland countries food-secure and contribute to peace and stability in the world.Ambassador al-Dafa said the alliance will complement existing international endeavours confronting the challenges of poverty, hunger and food insecurity in dryland countries, which represent more than 40% of the globe’s surface and inhabited by a third of the world’s population. He added that GDA has pledged that its programmes and projects will help member-countries improve agriculture policies, implement the latest techniques in agriculture, irrigation and fertilisers, adopt early detection of natural disasters and climate change, and enhance co-operation in times of emergency and crises and face price fluctuations in the world’s food markets. Ambassador al-Dafa informed attendees at the dinner that a ministerial meeting would be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, in May-end to present the GDA foundation treaty to the alliance’s founding member-states and to discuss innovative financing mechanisms to fund the alliance’s programmes and projects.