Dr. Majid Rafizadeh

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification convened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Monday and runs through to Aug. 28 under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.”

Africa is taking a key position in the global economic and geopolitical order, as it has the world’s youngest population, substantial reserves of the critical minerals essential for the energy transition and vast areas of arable land.

The UN’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is observed every year on July 30, should be viewed as a critical global platform for raising awareness on one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the modern era.

The international community is at a critical moment when it comes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which were endorsed in 2015 with the aim of eradicating poverty and protecting the planet via 17 interconnected goals and 169 targets.

As we transition into the early stages of the artificial intelligence-driven era, it is important to discern and cultivate skills that will underpin productivity, innovation and creativity.