Washington, USA, 04 May 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Guinea, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the Guinea AgriConnect Compact. This integrated strategic framework aims to accelerate sustainable transformation of agrifood systems, strengthen food and nutrition security, create decent jobs, and position agriculture as a key driver of inclusive growth and industrialization.
The initiative is aligned with the 2040 Simandou Agenda, specifically its Pillar 1, which identifies agriculture and livestock as key drivers for economic diversification, export development, and job creation. It is based on a strengthened and complementary coordination approach involving the Government, the World Bank Group through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector, and producer organizations.
The compact aligns three priorities: rural infrastructure, public reforms and investments, and mobilizing private finance around shared goals for agricultural transformation, job creation, and food security.
“AgriConnect enables a better coordination of the World Bank Group’s instruments – IDA, IFC and MIGA – to support Guinea in a profound transformation of its agriculture,” said Issa Mare Diaw, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guinea.“By combining reforms, public investment, and private sector engagement, we aim to help build more productive, resilient, and inclusive agri-food systems that can deliver food security while creating jobs.”
Priority value chains identified include rice and poultry – to strengthen food security and reduce reliance on imports – complemented by maize and soybeans as strategic inputs. The compact also supports high-potential diversification and export value chains, including fonio and mangoes.
“With the AgriConnect Compact, Guinea is taking a decisive step forward in positioning agriculture as a central pillar of economic transformation, directly linked to the opportunities offered by the Simandou corridor,” said Aminata Kaba, Minister of Agriculture.“Our ambition is to ensure long-term food security, create decent jobs for youth and women, and promote competitive, resilient and market-oriented agriculture.”
“The livestock sector occupies a strategic place in our food security and import substitution policy, particularly for the poultry sector,” said Félix Lamah, Minister of Livestock.“The AgriConnect Compact will build the capacity of producers, improve access to essential inputs such as maize and soybeans, and develop more efficient and inclusive livestock value chains.”
By 2030, the AgriConnect Guinea Compact aims in particular to contribute to: (i) a significant improvement in food and nutrition security, (ii) the creation of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the agricultural and agri-food value chains, particularly for young people and women, (iii) the reduction of dependence on imports of staple foods, particularly rice and poultry products, and (iv) the valorization of the export potential of products such as fonio and mangoes.
“The AgriConnect Compact is fully in line with our ambition to build a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous Guinea,” said Mariama Ciré Sylla, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget. “It reflects our desire to make agriculture and livestock farming real levers for transformation, job creation and economic sovereignty, in line with the Simandou 2040 Program and our national economic diversification agenda.”
AgriConnect is a World Bank Group initiative to help 300 million smallholder farmers around the world to better valorize their crops to increase their incomes by 2030. It is supported by partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Bayer, and Google.
Washington, USA, 11 March 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The World Bank today approved a project totaling $215.9 million (about CFAF 118.7 billion) to support the development of the agricultural sector. The Burkina Faso Agricultural Transformation Project is in line with national priorities in terms of food security, job creation and promotion of the private sector.
The new project will focus on developing priority agricultural value chains, including rice and maize, by supporting productivity improvements, modernization of processing infrastructure, and better access to markets. It will also help address financing constraints to foster private investment and technology adoption.
Attention will be paid to the inclusion of women and youth, to strengthen their participation in agricultural value chains and support the creation of sustainable jobs in rural areas.
“Agriculture remains a central pillar of the Burkinabè economy and a key lever for food security and the resilience of rural populations. Through this project, the World Bank reaffirms its commitment to supporting Burkina Faso in transforming its agricultural sector with a view to more inclusive and sustainable growth,” explains Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil, World Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso.
The project will be implemented in close collaboration with national authorities, private sector actors, and decentralized stakeholders, to ensure strong ownership and sustainable results, and will cover four of the country’s seventeen regions. These zones were selected for their agricultural potential, the presence of priority value chains – including rice and maize – as well as the potential to scale up interventions already implemented under the World Bank-financed Agriculture Resilience and Competitiveness Project (PReCA).
ROME, Italy, 09 March 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/- The Embassy of Japan in Dakar and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today have signed a new food assistance agreement worth JPY 200 million (approximately US$1.32 million) to support food and nutrition assistance in Guinea-Bissau. This contribution will enable WFP to provide nutritious school meals to approximately 200,000 children nationwide, while also supplying locally produced food supplements and diversified food baskets, including fresh vegetables and fruits to more than 3,000 children under five to help prevent and treat malnutrition.
“We welcome Japan’s continued support, a longstanding partner of WFP in Guinea-Bissau and across the region whose commitment is essential to ensuring that children can continue to access school meals and nutritional support,” said Kinday Samba, WFP’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “We are so grateful to all governments, private sector actors, and institutions that like Japan, support our efforts in protecting the most vulnerable groups during these uncertain times.”
According to the 2025 Global Hunger Index, 22 percent of Guinea-Bissau’s population is undernourished, and nearly one in three children under the age of five suffers from wasting, largely due to limited access to diversified and nutritious diets. Japan’s support comes at a critical time, helping WFP maintain essential programmes amid increasing pressure on food security.
Funding shortfalls during the current school year have already led to a reduction in the number of children receiving daily school meals—from 200,000 to 151,800—and to simplified menus consisting mainly of rice, canned fish and beans, with Japan’s contributions playing a central role in sustaining the programme. Nutrition interventions have also been affected, with the supply of specialized nutritious foods for young children reduced from six months to three months—a 50 percent cut that limits WFP’s capacity to support children during their most critical growth period.
“Japan will continue to engage resolutely in addressing urgent challenges such as hunger and malnutrition, in cooperation with international organizations, including the World Food Programme”, said His Excellency Mr. Takeshi Akamatsu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. “Under all circumstances, the Government of Japan will always place a strong emphasis on humanitarian assistance and continue to implement assistance that is responsive to the needs of the population. Through this support, we hope to deliver food aid to as many people as possible.”
During the 2024–2025 school year, support from the Government of Japan enabled WFP to assist more than 197,000 schoolchildren through the national school feeding programme. In addition, for the first time, Japan’s supplementary emergency funding in 2025 allowed WFP to provide voucher-based food assistance to nearly 2,000 families affected by the 2024 floods in the Oio and Tombali regions.
With this new contribution, WFP will strengthen essential nutrition support while reinforcing local production capacities, through school meals and locally sourced food supplements for young children. This approach is vital for promoting rural development, resilience and more sustainable futures for vulnerable communities.
About World Food Programme The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media
Washington, USA, 11 February 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Senegal, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the AgriConnect Senegal Compact. This strategic initiative aims to transform the country’s agri-food systems and improve food security for millions of Senegalese.
Aligned with the Senegal National Agenda for Transformation 2050 and the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025-2034), the AgriConnect Pact is a harmonized implementation mechanism mobilizing the Government of Senegal and the World Bank Group – through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) – as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector and producer organizations.
The initiative focuses on three priority value chains: grains, horticulture, and livestock. It is based on three axes: (i) making structural investments in agricultural infrastructure and services; (ii) revising sectoral policies to improve the business environment; and (iii) encouraging more private investment to spur innovation and competitiveness.
By 2029, the AgriConnect Compact aims to achieve more than 90% food security at the national level and create 800,000 formal jobs in the agricultural sector. Among the objectives set are an increase in the cereal coverage rate from 48% to 78%, rice self-sufficiency to 64%, and the establishment of 100 community-based agricultural cooperatives across the country.
In addition to its strategic orientation, this ambition represents a significant shift in the design, coordination, and implementation of national agricultural and food policies.
“AgriConnect is a model platform for structuring a pipeline of projects related to the National Transformation Agenda. Thanks to sector program contracts that involve all stakeholders, it aims to achieve the expected impacts of the Senegal Vision 2050, which is sovereign, just and prosperous,” said Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, Minister of State to the President of the Republic, in charge of monitoring, steering and evaluating the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation.“This platform embodies the strategic coherence sought in the structuring of sectors, engines of sustainable growth. The highest government authorities attach particular importance to results-based management during the implementation of these multisectoral programs. Thus, it is expected that the stakeholders in this initiative will aim for operational efficiency to improve the well-being of the population.”
The partnership is part of a national dynamic, which places food sovereignty at the heart of the country’s transformation agenda.
“The AgriConnect Pact aims to concretely transform the lives of our populations,” said Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock.“These are families that will be able to better feed their children, farmers who will see their incomes increase and stabilize, young people who will find jobs and a future in modern and profitable agriculture. This direct improvement in living conditions, both in our countryside and in our cities, will guide our implementation with the World Bank Group, our partners, and the private sector.”
The World Bank Group is committed to supporting Senegal in translating its goals into lasting impacts for its people.
“What drives us in AgriConnect is the belief that Senegalese agriculture can feed Senegal, create opportunities for its youth, and become an engine of shared prosperity,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa.“Through the coordinated action of IDA, IFC and MIGA, we want to catalyze a dynamic where public and private investment converge towards a single objective: to make food sovereignty and jobs a tangible and lasting reality for every Senegalese.”
The governance of the Pact is ensured by the Minister of State, responsible for monitoring the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation, with operational implementation entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock via its ” Delivery Unit “. A joint steering committee will be established for planning, coordination and monitoring with the support of the Technical Group of Partners (GTP).
The Compact was developed in consultation with the following technical and financial partners: the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the French Development Agency (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Kingdom of the Netherlands, MasterCard Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
BELEM, Brazil, 23 November 2025-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The COP30 conference in Belem, Brazil showed that climate cooperation is producing results that matter for people’s lives, with real benefits across African nations. 194 countries representing billions of people have said in one voice that the Paris Agreement on climate change is working, and resolved to make it go further and faster.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Climate Change said:
“We see progress in a new agreement on just transition, signaling that building climate resilience and the clean economy must also be fair, with every nation and every person able to share in its vast benefits.
“For the first time, 194 nations said in unison that the global transition to low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilience is irreversible and the trend of the future.”
COP30 in the Amazon also delivered a major win for African climate leadership, as 194 countries unanimously endorsed Ethiopia’s proposal to host the COP32 global climate conference in 2027. The global endorsement followed the swift endorsement of the African Group of nations, whose turn it is to determine the location of the COP climate conference in 2027.
Simon Stiell applauded the decision: “I warmly congratulate Ethiopia for stepping up to take this vital role on the world stage, building on its climate leadership to date, and I commend the Africa Group for reaching agreement inclusively and swiftly.”
“This is more than a diplomatic milestone. It signals Africa’s growing role in shaping global climate action and championing solutions that drive growth, jobs, resilience, and secure and affordable energy for all.”
COP30 reaches historic agreement on adaptation finance
A major breakthrough for vulnerable nations came with the a collective commitment in Belem to work toward tripling adaptation finance. This is a significant step forward for Africa where climate change impacts are already threatening food security, health systems and infrastructure.
Tripling adaptation finance will help countries scale up climate-resilient agriculture, protect communities from floods and droughts, strengthen early warning systems, and support local development plans grounded in national priorities.
For many African nations, predictable and accessible adaptation finance is essential to safeguarding lives today and securing economic stability for the years ahead. The COP also reached agreement on a series of indicators to assess adaptation work.
Results from the COP30 Action Agenda
During COP30 the Brazilian Presidency and United Nations pushed for real economy progress through an Action Agenda. Key achievements include:
A trillion-dollar global pipeline for clean grids and energy storage, helping countries move toward reliable and affordable power.
USD 5.5 billion in new commitments for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, with at least 20 percent flowing directly to local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
More than USD 9 billion in new investment across land and food systems, covering over 210 million hectares of land and reaching millions of farmers.
Nearly 438 million people worldwide are becoming more resilient to climate shocks under the Race to Resilience campaign.
These outcomes show how climate action is already delivering benefits in energy, food security, nature protection, and resilience. They also underscore the importance of ensuring Africa’s climate priorities remain central to global progress.
$1.4B investment expands access to evidence-backed tools to help farmers in some of the world’s poorest regions adapt and build more resilience to droughts, floods, heat waves
BELÉM, Brazil, 7 November 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The Gates Foundation today announced a new commitment to advancing climate adaptation, helping smallholder farmers build resilience to a warming world and protect hard-won gains against poverty.
Announced at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where leaders are emphasizing locally driven adaptation, the four-year, $1.4 billion investment will expand access to innovations that help farmers across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia adapt to extreme weather. In these regions, where food security and livelihoods depend on agriculture, smallholder farmers and the communities they feed are among the most exposed to droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. Yet less than 1% of global climate finance targets the growing threats to these vital food systems.
“Smallholder farmers are feeding their communities under the toughest conditions imaginable,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation. “We’re supporting their ingenuity with the tools and resources to help them thrive—because investing in their resilience is one of the smartest, most impactful things we can do for people and the planet.”
Farmers in low-income countries produce one-third of the world’s food but face mounting climate threats. Without greater adaptation investment, these shocks will continue to drive food insecurity and reverse hard-won gains against poverty.
World Bank research shows that targeted adaptation investments could boost GDP, particularly in small island and developing states, by up to 15 percentage points by 2050. The World Resources Institute estimates that every dollar invested in climate adaptation will yield more than $10 in social and economic benefits within a decade.
“Climate adaptation is not just a development issue—it’s an economic and moral imperative,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation. “This new commitment builds on our support for farmers in Africa and South Asia who are already innovating to withstand extreme weather. But they can’t do it alone—governments and the private sector must work together to prioritize adaptation alongside mitigation.”
Scaling farmer-led innovation
While climate shocks continue to intensify, the financing needed to help farmers adapt to them is not keeping up. According to the 2025 UN State of Food Security and Nutrition report, Africa was the only region where hunger and malnutrition increased this year. Without urgent adaptation, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that agricultural productivity in parts of Africa could drop by up to 20% by 2050.
The foundation’s new investment will scale farmer-led, evidence-backed innovations that strengthen rural livelihoods and food systems amid growing climate threats. It will expand technologies and approaches already showing results, including:
Digital advisory services: Mobile apps, SMS, and other platforms that deliver timely, tailored information to help farmers make informed planting decisions and manage risk, including support for the AIM for Scale initiative, which aims to reach 100 million farmers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America by 2030
Climate-resilient crops and livestock: Varieties that withstand drought, heat, and emerging pests while improving yields and nutrition
Soil health innovations: Approaches that restore degraded land, enhance productivity, and reduce emissions—supported by a $30 million partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation to advance soil science research
Partnerships driving global impact
The new commitment builds on partnerships that were expanded or launched through the foundation’s COP27 pledges and are already reaching millions of farmers. Examples include:
AIM for Scale: Launched in 2023, this global partnership delivered AI-powered SMS weather forecasts to nearly 40 million farmers across 13 Indian states during the 2025 monsoon season, helping protect millions of acres of crops.
TomorrowNow and KALRO: Together with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), TomorrowNow is providing hyper-local weather alerts to more than 5 million Kenyan farmers, improving yields and reducing crop losses, with expansion underway in Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia.
The Gates Foundation is working alongside local researchers, governments, and private sector partners to scale such efforts—strengthening rural economies and food systems for the long term.
Collaboration at COP30
This investment reflects a shared global commitment—led by African leaders and Brazil’s COP30 presidency—to put food, livelihoods, and health at the center of resilience planning. Brazil’s own experience linking social programs with sustainable agricultural innovation shows how inclusive adaptation can drive equitable growth.
Together with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AGRA, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the United Arab Emirates, the foundation will co-host the Agricultural Innovation Showcase at COP30. Both a high level event on November 10 and a physical exhibition, the showcase will highlight affordable, climate-smart solutions designed for and, in many cases, by farmers. More information is available here: https://www.embrapa.br/en/cop30/agrizone
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
LUSAKA, Zambia, 18 August 2025 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/-The largest annual climate adaptation event has concluded in Lusaka, Zambia, with an urgent call for scaled up investment to save lives, lift living standards and boost economic growth.
NAP Expo 2025 focused on strengthening countries’ capacity to advance National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) ahead of COP30 in Brazil, and closing the financing gaps that threaten effective climate adaptation.
The Expo also launched updated adaptation guidelines, and helped countries to make use of new AI tools to build climate resilience, in many countries for the first time, among other key developments.
“Adaptation isn’t a bill we can skip. If we don’t fund it, the poorest pay in lost harvests, poorer health, and – at worst – with their lives,” said Youssef Nassef, Director of Adaptation at UN Climate Change.
“Around USD 300 billion is needed annually for climate adaptation by 2030. Governments will spend this amount and much more, whether they like it or not, in rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by climate disasters, and importing food due to ruined crops,” said Nassef.
“Much smarter and cheaper is investing in resilience up-front, because this not only saves lives and money, it delivers massive dividends across every sector and every community, transforming lives and economies for the better.”
Zambia’s Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Mike Elton Mposha, said: “We must transform NAPs into investable and bankable plans attractive for investment, including by the private sector. It is also imperative to enhance horizontal and vertical coordination to ensure effective participation of various stakeholders – including women, children and youth, persons with disabilities, local communities and the private sector – in the design and execution of NAPs.”
“Climate change is a matter of life and death for our people. The 2023-2024 drought reduced crop yields by about half, and similarly reduced electricity generation by more than half. This requires a multi-pronged approach across multiple sectors and scales, centred around the critical role of water,” added Douty Chibamba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Green Economy and Environment of Zambia.
The Expo, attended by around 400 participants from 80 countries, launched updated technical guidelines, welcomed by least developed countries and others as a strong basis to help nations in designing and implementing their NAPs by 2025, in line with the latest science and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
Adaptation plans are vital to ensuring that vulnerable communities have access to the funding and support they need to build resilience to worsening droughts, floods and other climate disasters.
Key outputs from the Expo include:
Over six technical sessions focused on promoting mobilization and access to financing for NAPs: (i) maximizing access to existing sources and modalities under the UNFCCC Financial Mechanism; (ii) exploring new sources and modalities of adaptation finance and how countries can mobilize or engage.
Five sessions aiming to accelerate the uptake and use of frontier and digital technologies in the NAP process, including big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
For many participants, it was the first time using AI in supporting the formulation and implementation of NAPs, and the guided sessions provided an introduction to several powerful resources.
The AI session was so successful that participants requested an additional one, which was offered on the next day and focused on co-producing a sample open NAP to showcase concepts relevant to adaptation assessment, planning and implementation.
Various sessions strengthened inclusive stakeholder engagement in the NAP process by promoting the incorporation of diverse values and worldviews of Indigenous Peoples and the experiences of local communities, as well as private sector involvement, with a strong focus on vulnerable communities, gender-responsiveness and youth participation.
Fumukazi Zilanie Kamgundanga Gondwe, traditional leader of the Phoka people, Rumphi, Malawi, said: “What we refer to as innovation is often rooted in long-standing Indigenous practices such as seed sovereignty, sacred forest protection, and cultural rituals for ecological balance.”
Ana Toni, CEO of the upcoming COP30 climate conference in Brazil, called on the global community to “transcend outdated mindsets whilst preserving shared values and innovating towards a new planetary renaissance, where humankind regenerates its relationship with itself and with the nature it belongs to.”
“COP30 will serve as a turning point for adaptation, and NAPs must lead the way, building capacity and securing funding to strengthen our efforts. In Belém, adaptation must be elevated to the same level of importance as mitigation on the global agenda, especially as the impacts of climate change have already infiltrated our homes. Together, we have the power to implement meaningful change and safeguard our communities for a more resilient and sustainable future,” Toni added.
Attended by government officials, technical experts, Indigenous leaders, private sector representatives, and development partners, the Expo from 11-15 August was marked by a focus on implementation – how to help countries meet the 2025 NAP submission target.
Countries also showcased practical solutions to the Global Goal on Adaptation targets:
Water security: nature-based solutions for urban rainwater harvesting, climate-smart agricultural practices, and restoration of rivers and streams.
Food security: climate-smart agriculture techniques improving soil health and yields without expanding land use.
Secure Livelihoods: diversified income and strengthened resilience through sustainable resource management.
Resilient infrastructure: coastal protection projects rooted in nature-based solutions.
Youssef Nassef expressed deep gratitude to the Government and people of Zambia for their gracious hospitality in hosting this important global event, noting how the Zambian spirit of solidarity, of hope, of collectivism and harmony helped underpin a successful Expo.
As the Expo closed, participants pointed to next month’s Climate Week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (1-6 September) convened by UN Climate Change, as another key moment to advance adaptation and resilience, including financing needs, along with other key issues.
By bringing together negotiators with implementers in government and the real economy, along with key financiers including development banks, Climate Week will help lay a foundation for progress on finance, adaptation, mitigation and a Just Transition, in Belém and beyond.
The NAP Expo is an annual outreach event organized by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) under the UNFCCC. It serves as a platform for exchanging experiences, fostering partnerships and mobilizing support to advance the formulation and implementation of NAPs in developing countries.
About the UNFCCC
With 198 Parties, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement. The Paris Agreement aims to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level which will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, and to protect all people from worsening climate impacts now and in the future. Through multilateral cooperation under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, and national efforts, projected temperature increase has been reduced from up to 5 degrees Celsius, to around 3 degrees Celsius now, if pledges are implemented. Efforts continue to lower projected temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as all countries in the UNFCCC have agreed, as well as to build more climate-resilient economies and societies, and to spread the vast benefits of climate action across all nations and peoples.
The ultimate objective of all agreements under the UNFCCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, in a time frame which allows ecosystems to adapt naturally and enables sustainable development.
The first few humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza on Monday, after Israel announced it would let limited amounts of food into the enclave.
The Israeli military allowed five trucks carrying baby food and other supplies into the Gaza Strip, via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel, according to the Israeli defence body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, COGAT.
Israel partially resumed aid deliveries after an 11-week blockade. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision came about following growing pressure from allies, including the United States, who reportedly could not bear images of hunger from Gaza.
“I do believe that President Donald Trump has the necessary influence to change the situation in Gaza and to make sure that the siege be lifted and that the population get access to the assistance it deserves”, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), told Euronews.
British and European Union leaders called the situation in the enclave “unacceptable” during a press conference after an EU-UK summit on Monday.
UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher welcomed the renewal of aid deliveries but called the move “a drop in the ocean.”
About 600 aid trucks entered Gaza each day during the two-month ceasefire that Israel broke on 18 March.
“We have to define what the basic is, because what is needed in Gaza is a massive, unhindered, uninterrupted assistance of supply to make sure that we are reversing the trend of the spreading hunger in the Gaza Strip”, Lazzarini said.
COGAT said more trucks should enter the enclave in the near future. Food security experts warned last week that the entire Gaza population – about 2 million people – was at critical risk of famine.
Israel has launched a new wave of “extensive” air and grounds attack on Gaza over the weekend, and the army ordered the evacuation of Khan Younis, the second-largest city in the enclave.
France, Canada and the UK warned the Israeli government they will take “concrete actions” if Israel does not “stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.”
“We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable. Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate”, the countries said in a joint statement on Monday.
After a nearly three month long blockade on humanitarian aid in Gaza, Israel says it will allow a basic amount of food into the enclave, in a bid to avoid a starvation crisis
The announcement comes as Israel expanded new ground operations under the name of Gideon’s Chariots in Gaza
Benjamin Netanyahu says his cabinet was acting at the recommendation of the IDF to prevent a hunger crisis which they say would endanger their offensive.
“As we promised, we have launched a powerful campaign against Hamas, ‘Gideon’s Chariots’, IDF forces are simply entering with force into the (Gaza) Strip with a dual goal: defeating Hamas and freeing our hostages. Two goals that are intertwined, and we will achieve both.” Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, said
Authorities estimate that nearly 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza are already living in catastrophic levels of hunger and face possible starvation.
Food security experts had warned that Gaza will likely fall into famine if Israel doesn’t lift its blockade and stop its military campaign.
A UN-backed report has added to the chorus of alarm, it says warned one in five people in Gaza are facing starvation.
Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, blasted Israel on Tuesday for its continued blockade in the Gaza Strip.
Israel began blocking all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza after a ceasefire deal ended more than 10 weeks ago.
“Israel has been openly and brazenly blocking humanitarian aid for over two months now — this is engineered starvation,” Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told the U.N. Security Council.
“It is the most inhumane form of torture and killing.”
Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., responded to the criticism by reiterating the country’s claim the aid was being used to “prop up” Hamas.
“Israel will not accept a humanitarian mechanism that props up the Hamas terror organization that butchered our people in their homes and communities.”
Famine
Food security experts said Monday that Gaza will likely fall into famine if Israel doesn’t lift its blockade and stop its military campaign.
Nearly half a million Palestinians are facing possible starvation, living in “catastrophic” levels of hunger, and 1 million others can barely get enough food, according to findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a leading international authority on the severity of hunger crises.
