Climate change is a key driver of worldwide hunger, according to IFAD

Special Climate change is a key driver of worldwide hunger, according to IFAD
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Lower than normal water levels at the Wanaque Reservoir in Wanaque, New Jersey, Nov. 15, 2024. (AFP)
Special Climate change is a key driver of worldwide hunger, according to IFAD
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Saudi Arabia has contributed over US$536 million to IFAD since its inception. (Supplied)
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Updated 19 November 2024
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Climate change is a key driver of worldwide hunger, according to IFAD

Climate change is a key driver of worldwide hunger, according to IFAD
  • IFAD President Alvaro Lario: Food security is intertwined with the current extreme weather events, as it has impacted the world
  • Saudi Arabia has contributed over $536 million to IFAD since it started and is among the top 10 donors

BAKU: Climate change is dangerously impacting crops and driving worldwide hunger, according to the head of the International Fund of Agricultural Development.

“Food security is intertwined with the current extreme weather events, as it has impacted the world,” IFAD President Alvaro Lario said in an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the COP29 UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

IFAD reported that in 2023, about 735 million people suffered from hunger caused by climate change.

In addition, unusual rainfalls, according to IFAD, caused a decrease in wheat production and food quality in Europe.

Floods and heat waves caused damage to orange crops in Brazil. In Southern Africa, above-average temperatures led to below-average maize harvests, and in parts of West Africa, erratic rains affected cocoa production and cut output by half.

“We are seeing a lot of the crops are fully being impacted in Brazil, which has been hit by a historic drought, or in Ghana, for example, where there has not been enough rain, cutting the cocoa production by half.”

The IFAD is a UN specialized agency as well as a development finance institution. The organization provides concessional funds and grants to countries and invests in the private sector.

The organization’s key focus is to provide livelihoods and raise income as well as production in low- and middle-income countries.

“Our biggest investments are in the Sub-Saharan region. Fifty-five percent of our funding goes to Sub-Saharan Africa, and up to 60 percent into Africa. But we also operate in the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. We are currently investing in 90 countries,” said Lario.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the main contributors to IFAD. According to the organization, Saudi Arabia has contributed over $536 million to IFAD since it started and is among the top 10 donors.

In the last 10 years alone, the Kingdom has contributed a total of $96.6 million.

IFAD implemented the first phase of a project to support coffee and mango farmers in the Jazan region.

From 2018 to 2023, the project established 50 model coffee farms and five mango farms in the region, which benefited nearly 30,000 smallholder farmers, according to IFAD.

Furthermore, the project adopted strategic plans through a group of development solutions and pillars that include agricultural sustainability and innovation.

“Small-state islands are among the most vulnerable (to climate change),” said Lario. “We are seeing that sea levels are rising. They are also suffering from hurricanes and long droughts. They suffer from access to potable drinking water.”

Strategies to address the problem and implement adequate solutions have been developed by IFAD according to each country’s climate situation.

“For IFAD, we do have strategies on how we work and how we design our projects. All the strategies are to promote sustainable food systems, also to increase rural non-farm crops, so they can also diversify their income.”

One of the programs the organization is working on is in Belize, in Central America, for heat-tolerant and drought-resistant crops such as maize or beans. Another project involves mixing trees with crops that provide shade to conserve water and combat the rising temperatures in Cuba.


KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan

KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan
Updated 20 sec ago
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KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan

KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan

Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed hundreds of vouchers across Lebanon to those most in need to buy winter clothing, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
KSrelief gave out 455 vouchers in Miniyeh district, and 420 in the Beirut and Akkar governorates, to orphans and people with special needs. The vouchers enable people to buy winter clothing from approved stores.
The agency also distributed 164 shelter bags in Afghanistan, benefiting 984 people as part of a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan and those affected by this year’s floods.


Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo

Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo

Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
  • Organization’s secretary-general: Israel making life for Palestinians ‘impossible’
  • International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People organized by UN since 1977

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the Arab League, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Matar, attended an event marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at the organization’s headquarters in Cairo on Sunday. 

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, also attended, as did Saeed Abu Ali, an assistant on the Palestinian issue to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, among other Arab ministers and officials. 

They confirmed full solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle to achieve their legitimate rights of freedom and independence, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

Aboul Gheit said Israeli actions in the Occupied Territories aim “at ending the Palestinian presence, liquidating the project of the Palestinian state, and forced displacement, by making the life of Palestinian society ... impossible.” 

The Arab League honored UNRWA during a ceremony for its vital work in delivering aid and securing shelter for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has been organized by the UN since 1977.

Events worldwide, including at the UN headquarters in New York, are planned yearly on Nov. 29. 


Right on track: Riyadh Metro commuters on board with excitement

The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1. (AN photo)
The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1. (AN photo)
Updated 01 December 2024
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Right on track: Riyadh Metro commuters on board with excitement

The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1. (AN photo)
  • Arab News speaks to commuters at King Abdullah Financial District Station

RIYADH: The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1.

Stations were buzzing with excitement across the blue, yellow, and purple lines as commuters celebrated the opening of a project which was 12 years in the making. 

At the King Abdullah Financial District Station, which connects all three lines, Saudis, residents, and tourists spoke to Arab News about their eagerness to try out the city’s new mode of transportation.

Khalid Alohari, who was en route to visit his grandmother, told Arab News: “I live in the north, near to the KAFD Station, and my grandma is in the far east, so going by car was always a hassle. Now the metro will make visiting her so much easier. The experience is just phenomenal. I’ve been waiting for this.”

Medical student Khalid Alohari. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

As a medical student at King Saud University, he was eligible for a 50 percent discount on all fares. He plans to use the metro system regularly to attend classes.

He added: “A month (of) using public transport, the metro, the buses, the supplementary cars, for just SR70 ($18) for a student, it’s just something we didn’t imagine could happen. I have a station close to my home. I’m going to take it to the university, and use it for the commute.

“As a medical student, I can use the 30-40 minutes of the commute to study, and it will also have a positive impact on my grades. It’s a win-win for everyone basically.”

He said that the metro will play a crucial role in reducing the growing traffic problem in Saudi Arabia, while also making transportation a greener experience as the system runs primarily on electrical energy rather than oil combustion.

Tourists Greg and Emma Turra were visiting Riyadh from Australia. Unsure how to spend their last day in the city, they decided to hop on the train to see where it took them. They were surprised to learn that the special day was the first they could have accessed the mass transit system.

Greg told Arab News: “We were just looking at a bit of time to waste on our last six hours, and what better way than doing this? It’s not every day you ride a train on its opening day.”

Tourist Greg Turra. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

They started their journey from Alinma Bank Station on the blue line and made it to KAFD.

Emma said: “The first thing we saw was that it was brand new, modern, futuristic, and the architectural brilliance of it, really, is quite special.

“Everyone was so excited to be traveling on it — we couldn’t believe that. That’s how we realized that it was obviously the first day.”

Tourist Emma Turra. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

She added that the system could be an attraction for tourists as the city’s traffic has been a well-known problem for tourists.

She added: “Before I came to Riyadh I was told the traffic was a nightmare. And when we arrived, we took close to two hours to get to our hotel. This line goes to the airport so that might be another option for people.”

Ameera Alrumaih, a student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, told Arab News: “I've been thinking about this project for forever.

Ameera Alrumaih, a student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

“I’ve been seeing it being built near our house. Every outing we have, I always see the metro. I’ve been excited for forever to try it.”

Alrumaih and her friend hopped on the train from the university to grab breakfast at KAFD, and headed back to continue their classes.

Alrumaih said: “We traveled from our university to KAFD in less than 10 minutes, which is so much easier, especially for me. I think I would use it. I live in the east so from east to east I’ll still use my car, but from east to north I think I’ll use the metro.

“I’ve tried the metro in Istanbul and London. I think (in Riyadh) it is much clearer, much nicer and well-lit.”

Osama Alharbi. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

Commuter Osama Alharbi arrived at KAFD Station from Khurais Road with a sense of pride, and said: “It was so easy to come here. It’s around 15 or 20 minutes around this time but if you take a car from my house to KAFD, maybe an hour.

“When I came to the train station the support was so amazing. The (station managers and assistants) came up to the door to bring me to the ticket (machine) and tell me about the prices.”

The only issue he noted was that there was no clear direction between the standard and first-class sections so travelers could easily hop in any of the cars.


Saudi crown prince arrives in UAE on private visit

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeted by UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival in the country.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeted by UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival in the country.
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi crown prince arrives in UAE on private visit

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeted by UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival in the country.
  • Prince Mohammed was greeted by the UAE’s president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the UAE on Sunday on a private visit, Saudi Press Agency reported.  

He was greeted by the country’s president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival.

Earlier on Sunday, the crown prince participated in a Gulf Cooperation Council summit held in Kuwait.


Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh

Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh

Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
  • Talks focus on regional and international affairs and ways to strengthen the relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa

RIYADH: Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats held a round of political consultations and talks in the ministry of foreign affairs’ official diwan in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss cooperation in various fields. 

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji chaired the meeting with the Ethiopian delegation led by Mesganu Arga Moach, the state minister of foreign affairs at the foreign ministry in Addis Ababa, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The two sides discussed the latest developments in regional and international affairs, ways to strengthen cooperation, and the friendly relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa. 

In August, the two countries established the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council to strengthen economic ties and enhance trade and investment opportunities for the period 2024 to 2028 term. 

The meeting on Sunday was attended by Fahad Alhumaydani, the Saudi ambassador to Ethiopia; the director of the general department of expatriate affairs at the foreign ministry, Mohammed Al-Shammari; and the Ethiopian ambassador