Qatar has affirmed giving priority to contributing to addressing the challenges that affect international peace and security, and the factors that exacerbate humanitarian crises, including addressing the issue of food security.
In this regard, Qatar pointed to directing a large part of its international humanitarian assistance towards addressing hunger and food shortages through co-operation with the UN system, expressing its belief in the centrality of the role of the international organisation in addressing crises, including food insecurity.
This came in a statement delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, at the ministerial UN Security Council meeting on Maintenance of international peace and security — conflict and food security, which was called for by the US, which it presided over the council's work for this month.
The statement said that the factors affecting food security are many and varied, from armed conflict to economic hardship, the energy crisis and disruption of the supply chain as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, to the effects of climate change.
HE Sheikha Alya referred to the countries affected by food security coupled with other factors exacerbating it, such as the energy crisis and difficult financial conditions, adding that the number of these countries has now reached about 69 countries.
Many of these countries are located in the Arab region, where most of the population suffer from food insecurity in some cases.
She said that Qatar has directed a large part of its international humanitarian assistance towards addressing hunger and food shortages, in compliance with its humanitarian responsibility to respond to famine and food insecurity, indicating that it often does this through co-operation with the UN system.
The statement said that in November 2021, Qatar Fund for Development signed an agreement with the World Food Programme to provide a financial contribution of $90mn to secure food assistance to more than 7mn people who are in dire need of food in brotherly Yemen.
HE Sheikha Alya commended the contributions of Qatar in Afghanistan, where, since last August, it has contributed to providing urgent humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs via an air bridge from Qatar to Kabul, which transported hundreds of tonnes of humanitarian aid, and said that it is currently working on the rehabilitation of Kabul Airport, which will help facilitate receiving food commodities.
She explained that the Government of Qatar has realised the importance of ensuring food security and has given it the priority it deserves, whether at the national or international level.
In this context, the statement spoke of the deliberate and relentless measures undertaken by the government, including significant investment in food research, agricultural policies, irrigation infrastructure, market upgrades, roads, ports and strategic storage reserves, pointing out that Qatar achieved the highest position at the level of Arab countries in the global food security index last year.
Qatar has worked to transfer this experience to other countries, as last February, Doha hosted the IOFS Forum on Strategic Commodities and Food Safety in co-operation with the Islamic Organisation for Food Security.
HE Sheikha Alya recalled the initiative launched by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, to establish the Global Dryland Alliance, as a mechanism aimed at filling gaps in research, strategies and policies to enable dryland countries to achieve food security, exchange knowledge and best practices, and help develop countries' capabilities to prevent food crises and exchange aid, within the framework of Qatar's commitment to co-operation and collective action to confront common challenges at the international level.
The statement of Qatar drew attention to the announcement of Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a strategic partnership called Nanmo, or "growth together" in Arabic, which will invest in agricultural technologies and tools capable of adapting to climate changes to create markets and flexible food systems that help provide nutrition, income and economic opportunities for young people, producer farmers and their communities in African countries, given the important role of non-state actors in developing resilience and addressing global food insecurity.
The statement referred to pledging $200mn for targeted projects.
It also pointed out that QFFD signed an agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation to help Somalia improve its resilience in the face of climate change and take proactive and deliberate measures to confront crises.
In this regard, Qatar pointed to directing a large part of its international humanitarian assistance towards addressing hunger and food shortages through co-operation with the UN system, expressing its belief in the centrality of the role of the international organisation in addressing crises, including food insecurity.
This came in a statement delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, at the ministerial UN Security Council meeting on Maintenance of international peace and security — conflict and food security, which was called for by the US, which it presided over the council's work for this month.
The statement said that the factors affecting food security are many and varied, from armed conflict to economic hardship, the energy crisis and disruption of the supply chain as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, to the effects of climate change.
HE Sheikha Alya referred to the countries affected by food security coupled with other factors exacerbating it, such as the energy crisis and difficult financial conditions, adding that the number of these countries has now reached about 69 countries.
Many of these countries are located in the Arab region, where most of the population suffer from food insecurity in some cases.
She said that Qatar has directed a large part of its international humanitarian assistance towards addressing hunger and food shortages, in compliance with its humanitarian responsibility to respond to famine and food insecurity, indicating that it often does this through co-operation with the UN system.
The statement said that in November 2021, Qatar Fund for Development signed an agreement with the World Food Programme to provide a financial contribution of $90mn to secure food assistance to more than 7mn people who are in dire need of food in brotherly Yemen.
HE Sheikha Alya commended the contributions of Qatar in Afghanistan, where, since last August, it has contributed to providing urgent humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs via an air bridge from Qatar to Kabul, which transported hundreds of tonnes of humanitarian aid, and said that it is currently working on the rehabilitation of Kabul Airport, which will help facilitate receiving food commodities.
She explained that the Government of Qatar has realised the importance of ensuring food security and has given it the priority it deserves, whether at the national or international level.
In this context, the statement spoke of the deliberate and relentless measures undertaken by the government, including significant investment in food research, agricultural policies, irrigation infrastructure, market upgrades, roads, ports and strategic storage reserves, pointing out that Qatar achieved the highest position at the level of Arab countries in the global food security index last year.
Qatar has worked to transfer this experience to other countries, as last February, Doha hosted the IOFS Forum on Strategic Commodities and Food Safety in co-operation with the Islamic Organisation for Food Security.
HE Sheikha Alya recalled the initiative launched by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, to establish the Global Dryland Alliance, as a mechanism aimed at filling gaps in research, strategies and policies to enable dryland countries to achieve food security, exchange knowledge and best practices, and help develop countries' capabilities to prevent food crises and exchange aid, within the framework of Qatar's commitment to co-operation and collective action to confront common challenges at the international level.
The statement of Qatar drew attention to the announcement of Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a strategic partnership called Nanmo, or "growth together" in Arabic, which will invest in agricultural technologies and tools capable of adapting to climate changes to create markets and flexible food systems that help provide nutrition, income and economic opportunities for young people, producer farmers and their communities in African countries, given the important role of non-state actors in developing resilience and addressing global food insecurity.
The statement referred to pledging $200mn for targeted projects.
It also pointed out that QFFD signed an agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation to help Somalia improve its resilience in the face of climate change and take proactive and deliberate measures to confront crises.
