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The Sustainable Development Goals in Bahrain
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. With 21 United Nations Entities represented in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the work of the United Nations encompasses all 17 SDGs.
Publication
14 April 2022
2021 Country Results Report
In 2021, the United Nations in Bahrain continued to work in a challenging environment brought upon the country, the region, and the whole world by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The pandemic continued to test our resilience and resolve, which, nevertheless, proved to be sound in the face of an unprecedented crisis. Although some of our activities had to be postponed and others had to be redesigned, we managed to move forward with the implementation of most of our projects and initiatives and develop new ones for the future, achieving significant results in the process", said Mohamed El Zarkani, Resident Coordinator in Bahrain a.i.
The year was also especially important for the United Nations in Bahrain because it marked the signing of the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2022 with the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The document – the first of its kind in the Gulf region – is the single most important instrument for planning and implementation of the United Nations development activities at the country level.
In 2022, the United Nations in Bahrain will build on previous success by continuing with the implementation of the Cooperation Framework in close partnership with the Government of Bahrain, placing a strong emphasis on leaving no one behind in the development process.
Visit our 2021 Country Results Report dedicated website.
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15 October 2022
Workshop on Joint Work Planning Development
Successful hands-on workshop on joint planning and mainstreaming of gender equality, human rights, and sustaining peace to ensure no one is left behind.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/un_bahrain/albums/72177720302905606
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15 October 2022
PSEA Workshop, 26-29 September
The workshop introduced the United Nation's definition of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment and the reporting mechanisms related to these issues.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/un_bahrain/albums/72177720302913754
Press Release
19 September 2022
Op-Ed: Transforming Education Summit – the global moment of truth
As parents, teachers and students got ready for a return to school this autumn, few were thinking of the fact that across the world, education is in deep crisis. This is a slow and often unseen crisis, but its impacts affect us all. At the upcoming UN Summit on Transforming Education, world leaders have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take decisive action. The United Nations and the European Union now call on all member states to deliver much-needed commitments to ensure that all girls and boys can access, enjoy and benefit from a meaningful, modern, high-quality education. Their rights and our collective futures depend on it.
Education is the most powerful and transformative tool we have to empower girls and boys with hope, skills and opportunity for their future. It also paves the way for solving many of today’s global challenges. However, in many parts, poverty and inequality still have a major influence over school attendance and learning achievement. And right across the world, education systems are struggling to equip learners with the values, skills and knowledge needed to thrive in our rapidly changing world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a pre-existing crisis and the global funding gap for education has increased significantly. Even before the pandemic, governments were spending less than half of the needed sum on education. Since then, two in three governments have cut their education budgets while some international donors have announced their intention to reduce aid to education.
Collective action on future-oriented learning and education financing is urgent, if we want to recover pandemic-related learning losses and ensure that children and young people everywhere are able to access their right to education as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Investing in education has a transformative impact across the Sustainable Development Goals. It advances gender equality: educated girls are more likely to participate in the decisions that most affect them, to live longer, healthier lives, and to earn higher incomes. It makes a major contribution to national development: every euro spent on education can generate 10–15 euros in economic growth. And by nurturing informed, empowered citizens, it can help countries to tackle major challenges such as climate change, social breakdown, conflict, gender-based violence and more.
The European Union is significantly increasing its investment in education in partner countries. The EU will dedicate more than 10% of its international partnerships budget, representing over 6 billion euros, towards global education.
Now we need others to do likewise. The UN Secretary-General is calling on all government leaders and all actors, including private sector and civil society, as part of a global mobilisation, to make concrete commitments to increase funding for education, from all sources.
At the Transforming Education Summit, the representatives of all countries and partners face a moment of truth: now is the time to collectively fill the investment gap to tackle the global education crisis. Now is the time to invest in learning recovering and help put the SDGs back on track, thereby sowing the seeds for transformation of our education systems, so that education better prepares learners to contribute to a more inclusive, peaceful, sustainable and just future, leaving no one behind.
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Story
15 October 2022
INTERVIEW: New General Assembly President will seek every opportunity to build trust
“We are in a very dire situation [regarding the need to build trust]. And we must acknowledge that the UN is a mirror of the general [state of] the world. But the UN has always had another feature. It has shown solutions. It shown opportunities,” Mr. Kőrösi told UN News in an exclusive interview.
The General Assembly’s standing as a global forum for dialogue and the role of the wider United Nations in building consensus must be seized, he continued, adding: “Opportunities are there for building trust among actors here, in this chamber,” referring to the iconic Assembly Hall where the interview took place.
With this in mind, Mr. Kőrösi, a Hungarian national, said that, among other initiatives, he plans to regularly host a series of ‘fireside chats’ among UN diplomats that would “be very open, and very informal consultations on very difficult issues.”
Indeed, he said the participants discuss “issues that may have a direct bearing on the deliberations in the General Assembly. No formalities [just] investigating what are the facts [of particular situations] on the ground. I think it can build a bit of trust.”
The new Assembly President also told UN News that the theme for the body’s 77th session, would be ‘solutions through solidarity sustainability and science’, aiming specifically to enhance the role of science in the UN body’s decision shaping.
“Member States are struggling with declining trust [and] division. Our task is to find solutions based on evidence; solid evidence that can help us move forward. Science can provide science-based evidence, Mr. Kőrösi said, stressing; “We are not asking scientists to tell us what to do. We are asking scientists to show us the options and to show us what might be the consequences of our actions or inaction. Science should be invited as a ‘supporter’, but ultimate political decision making remains with the Member States.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
UN News: Every new General Assembly session begins with a symbolic handover of the famous gavel from the outgoing to the incoming President. How heavy, metaphorically speaking, does the gavel feel to you? What do you think will be the most important decisions and resolutions approved with a strike of this gavel during your presidency during the Assembly's 77th session?
Csaba Kőrösi: The physical weight of this gavel is very, very modest. Despite the divine origin of this object. But the political and spiritual weight that it carries will be much more because the world is in a very complex crisis.
The UN is reflecting the affairs out there. The UN is as divided today as the world is out there. So, what we must do is basically try to solve some of the big issues that divide us. This means crisis management and the UN is supposed to help Member States to look forward. It means transformation. All those big decisions that may come through the lenses of crisis management and transformation will come under the gavel.
UN News: Mr. President, you have suggested solutions through solidarity sustainability and science as the theme for the new session of the Assembly. While solidarity and sustainability are more familiar, science seems to be a new component to the formula. How do you plan to introduce this into the work of the GA during the session?
Csaba Kőrösi: If you don't mind, I would like to touch upon all the forests, not only because they are a nice metaphor or nice alliteration of all letters.
Solutions. Because we have so many treaties, so many agreements, so many goals, so many targets, and action plans. But we are much weaker on implementation, and it is time for implementation. It is a time not only for more actions but for more transformative actions.
Solidarity. The inequalities [have been] growing in the world for many, many years, within countries and among countries. And if we let those inequalities grow infinitely, it would inevitably lead to more frictions, more tensions, more conflicts and more crises. We have to do something about it. And the most important [way is by] honoring our commitments – commitments within our countries and among all countries in the international [arena]. If we let communities down, the whole world will suffer. Let us not forget: we stand or fall together.
Sustainability. This is about transformation. It's about responsibility. It's about looking forward. What kind of world are we going to have today? Tomorrow? What kind of world are we going to leave for our children and grandchildren? And the responsibility is here and now. Sustainability means that we take integrated views on very complex issues.
UN News: How does science fortify all those efforts?
Csaba Kőrösi: Member States are struggling with declining trust, divisions among States [and] among communities. And of course, it will be very difficult to look for ideological solutions. And that’s not our task. Our task is to find solutions based on evidence; solid evidence that can help us move forward. Science can provide science-based evidence.
But it is very important to understand: we are not asking scientists to tell us what to do. We are asking scientists to show us the options and to show us what might be the consequences of our actions or inaction. Science should be invited as a help. Science should be invited as a ‘supporter’, but ultimate political decision making remains with the Member States.
UN News: So, you plan to draw on the experience of the UN system in general, like the World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations, as well as external groups, the global community. Is that right?
Csaba Kőrösi: Yes, indeed. We would like to resort to the knowledge and advice of the UN agencies who are working very deeply and who are involved very deeply in science. But it may not be enough at this time around. We would like to build and conduct regular consultations with science-based institutions, with faith-based institutions, with business communities, financial institutions to advise us on how they would approach the very complicated questions that are coming up on the agenda of the Member States. And not only to having a sounding board, but to make sure that their suggestions, their advice could and should reach the Member States.
We also would like to convene a regular consultation process. Earlier, it was called ‘morning consultations’ and ‘morning coffees’ or ‘morning dialog’, with smaller group of members, of ambassadors in a very relaxed, very informal environment. [These talks would aim] to see what advice is put forward by the science community, or the business community, what the interests of the Member States are, what are the facts on the ground… and what can we do together. [That would be a discussion] without any obligation. So, it's a bit [like] preparing the decision-making process that would take place in the GA.
UN News: Speaking of solutions, when talking to the media after being sworn in, while answering a question about Ukraine, you said war cannot bring prosperity, it can only bring suffering and that [this] war must be stopped. How do you plan to utilize your offices to find the solution and help achieve this goal, both during the upcoming high-level week and beyond?
Csaba Kőrösi: Thank you for mentioning it. I think the aggression [against Ukraine], as it was described in a resolution of the General Assembly, was a turning point in the thinking of many countries. A very large majority of the Member States have spoken up on this issue. They understood that we are at the threshold of a new era in history.
This war, this aggression, brought suffering to millions in Ukraine, in Russia, in the neighboring countries, and actually to many other nations thousands of miles away from the conflict zone through the disruption of food chains, food supplies, energy supplies, by [driving] up inflation rates to levels which were unprecedented in the last few decades. It introduced a general uncertainty and mistrust. And most importantly, it started decomposing the system of cooperation built on trust and agreements. So, we have to rebuild it. I'm not naive. I'm not suggesting that it be done within one year. But we have not a single day to lose. Because suffering must be alleviated.
Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach suffering people. The open threats to the [global security architecture] should be curtailed as soon as possible. Therefore, I’m asking all of us to work for an urgent ceasefire. And to make sure that human suffering is alleviated.
And in concrete terms of what you have asked, the 11th emergency session of the General Assembly is [ongoing]. It can be reconvened at any time if Member States ask for it. Upon the request of Member States, based on the circumstances, it can be convened within 24 hours. And I'm ready to do so.
Find out more here about special emergency sessions of the General Assembly.
UN News: You mentioned that there are many uncertainties in the world, and besides conflicts, there are other crises. Climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, to name just a few. On different occasions you mentioned the water crisis. You have sounded the alarm about that. Are you going to keep this topic high on your agenda during the 77th session?
Csaba Kőrösi: Yes, very much so! Because it is probably the next major challenge we are going to face.
Actually, this challenge has already [begun]. Look at Pakistan. Look at the huge droughts across continents. We have basically three types of problems with the water: too little water, too much water or water [that is polluted]. And [many] countries are suffering from all three at the same time, in different regions. It is a complex problem that can bring down sustainable development. It is capable of undoing progress made on many, many fronts – from poverty eradication to food security, energy production and economic transformation.
It's a very complex issue with bearing on political lives. It has security, human dimensions [and] economic dimensions, and [touches on] the general state of our environment. It’s a central issue. And it [has now been] almost 50 years since the UN convened its first full-fledged conference on water … since 1977. [The upcoming UN Water Conference] will give an opportunity to the Member States to [take] transformative steps.
We know what the problems are. The problems have been enumerated many, many times. Now it’s time for solutions. It’s time [for] transformative solutions.
UN News: Speaking of unity… As part of your [mandate] as President of the General Assembly, you are expected to assist delegates to reach consensus and by extension to unite the world. What will you and your office do to build trust and reestablish the spirit of cooperation between countries?
Csaba Kőrösi: If the question were whether I could do miracles, whether I could solve all the big issues within one year, then, of course, the answer would be ‘It’s not realistic!’ But as I mentioned earlier, we have no time to lose, not a single day. We are in a very dire situation. On building trust...we have to acknowledge that the UN is a mirror of the general [state of] the world. But the UN also has another feature. It has always had another feature. It has shown solutions. It shown opportunities. And I think that should be seized. Those opportunities are there for building trust among actors here, in this chamber.
As I mentioned, I plan to organize on a regular basis, very open, hopefully very interesting and inspiring informal consultations on very difficult issues. Let’s imagine 20 ambassadors sitting around almost a ‘fireside’, discussing issues that may have a direct bearing on the deliberations in the General Assembly. No formalities, no records. Investigating what are the facts on the ground, what is the scientific evidence that could be taken into consideration and what might be concerns of certain countries? I think it can build a bit of trust.
And I think it also can build a bit of trust if we listen to those who are outside of this chamber – many, many millions of people who are expecting the United Nations to deliver.
It's their hope. It’s their hope for this institution, for this Organization. They have needs. They have knowledge [and] experience on the ground.
I hope to have consultations with [civil society or non-UN] organizations to give them the opportunity to inform Member States. I think it's always good to be on the same page, to have the same information, to listen to the same sources. So, it's important, of course, that those sources should come from all corners of the world.
UN News: Mr. President, would you also use the information and the insight of multiple sources when discussing the matter of revitalizing the UN and the General Assembly, an issue citied in the Vision Statement for your presidency? And would this also be the approach that you're going to pursue when, for instance, discussing Security Council reform?
Csaba Kőrösi: Yes, very much so, though the licenses of the PGA are rather different when we talk about the General Assembly’s affairs and the Security Council’s affairs. But let’s acknowledge: the world is changing. The realities in the world by changing. The complexity of the challenges we are facing is changing. So must our Organization. So must our institutions. Institutions have been created to help us address our problems and solve our problems.
And if the problems and the challenges are very different from those which were prevailing when the organization was created, then the organization needs reform. And we are in the middle of the reform of the United Nations, including the General Assembly. And I wholeheartedly support the further reform, the further so-called revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. And I think the direction that has been taken by the Member States is very encouraging.
On the Security Council reform… I’ve been following these discussions, negotiations, and now, as we call it, intergovernmental negotiations, for more than 20 years. And I’ve heard all the arguments – pros and cons – and I’ve also seen the results, or lack of results. While the world is changing, the challenges are changing and becoming more and more complex. It’s evident that communities out there are expecting the United Nations to do better for their safety and security. And I think the Security Council has a great role in that, a very special role.
Therefore, I think the intergovernmental negotiations should [continue], should be impact-oriented and should be results-oriented. And of course, I will nominate co-facilitators and I will ask them to be as objective-oriented, as impact-oriented, and as results-oriented as they only can be.
But you know much better than I do, it’s a Member State-driven process. It’s not up to the [General Assembly President] to tell them what the result of the negotiations will be and when we can arrive at the result of those negotiations. I will help the co-facilitators. And in case of need, I will help Member States as much as I can in my modest capacity.
UN News: Thank you, Mr. President. If I may ask a final question. You promised that your office would promote the values of multiculturalism and multilingualism. In what ways are you going to do so?
Csaba Kőrösi: Multiculturalism is the shared value, a shared heritage for all of us. We belong to very different nations with very different traditions, very different cultures. Altogether, what we represent is the common heritage of humankind. Any piece of that common heritage that is lost would be a loss for all of us. So, I will pursue it on many, many occasions. Be it with side events, be it exhibitions, [or] special events, I will encourage Member States, bring your heritage, bring your values, share it with other Member States.
On multilingualism, we all know there are six official languages of the United Nations. We also know the rules [on how] to use those languages. We also know that it’s a very expensive exercise. But as much as I can, I will push to [ensure that] all six languages are used at the same level. And if possible, let [we should] pay attention to other big languages across the world, because they carry culture, they carry our shared cultural heritage.
UN News: Thank you very much. Let me again wish you every success in holding firm the gavel of the President of the General Assembly and in your work that begins now.
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30 October 2022
UNCT Training on mainstreaming Gender Equality and LNOB in strategic planning
On 4 and 5 October, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Bahrain participated in a skills-based training exercise to strengthen its capacity to advance the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle in its country programming in Bahrain.
The UNCT examined how increasing focus on the universal standards of gender equality, human rights, sustaining peace, disability inclusion, and youth empowerment can optimize the impact of SCF investments.
The training was a joint initiative of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bahrain, the UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States, and the Regional Office of the Development Coordination Office, with support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This was the first time that a UNCT participated in this integrated training, which included practical exercises to mainstream the LNOB principles in UN programming in support of Vision 2030.
“To ensure that Bahrain’s investments in its national development achieve their objectives, it is important that national programming is inclusive and fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda. This workshop is a great example of innovation for increased programmatic impact” said participant Hassan Alrayes, UNFPA’s Partnerships & Liaison Officer in Bahrain.
With the signing of the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SCF) in 2021, the UNCT is committed to advancing the national development priorities of the Kingdom of Bahrain in alignment with the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The four outcomes of the SCF address 1) environment, energy, and food; 2) quality, and comprehensive social services; 3) economic diversification, public administration, and resilience; and 4) Bahrain among nations.
The SCF is implemented through a set of reinforcing programmatic approaches, including supporting a culture of measurement, monitoring, evaluation, and learning to advance the implementation of country priorities and related SDGs; use of disaggregated data and statistics to measure results; and the advancement of Bahrain’s commitments on gender equality and human rights.
The training supported the UNCT to implement these approaches by introducing them to the UN planning tools to apply and measure these standards. The discussion in the room also stimulated conversations around opportunities for further collaboration by the UN system in Bahrain to support greater efficiency and coordination for results.
The experience of the Bahrain UNCT will be used to inform further workshops for UNCTs taking place in the region shortly.
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15 October 2022
IOM and Government of Bahrain Train Immigration Officials on Identification and Response for Potential Victims of Trafficking
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted a three-day training for immigration officials in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior in Bahrain. This event marked the first training on counter-trafficking organized by IOM and the Ministry of Interior, to capacitate immigration officials to identify and respond to potential situations of human trafficking. The participants included research officers, port specialists and police specialists.
The training was completed in the framework of IOM’s partnership with the Government of Bahrain, under which IOM has been supporting counter-trafficking initiatives in the Kingdom. IOM has been collaborating in recent years with the Kingdom of Bahrain, through curriculum development on human trafficking, under the auspices of the Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity Building for Combatting Trafficking in Persons.
“The Government of Bahrain remains a key strategic partner for IOM in the Gulf region, demonstrating commitment to the protection of people within its borders, including potential victims of trafficking. Much progress has been made on the UN Strategic and Sustainable Development Framework in Bahrain, and IOM looks forward to even further collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, through mechanisms such as the Global Compact for Migration and the IOM Gulf Strategy,” said Mohamed El Zarkani, IOM Chief of Mission in Bahrain.
His Excellency Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa praises the existing cooperation with IOM and stresses the importance of these specialized courses that contribute to the Kingdom of Bahrain remaining among the best countries in combating trafficking in persons.
The participants of this training were equipped with the knowledge and skills to recognize key indicators of vulnerability and exploitation, confirm initial suspicions of trafficking and report them to relevant competent authorities (through the National Referral Mechanism). They were also taught how to apply trauma-informed and victim-centred approaches to care, to protect victims from further harm.
IOM first opened an office in Bahrain in 2018 and remains committed to working with the Government of Bahrain to further prevent and respond to trafficking and lead on innovative counter-trafficking approaches in the region and beyond.
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15 October 2022
IOM and Government of Bahrain Complete Training of Trainers for Frontline Workers to Assist Potential Victims of Trafficking
The international Organization for Migration (IOM) carried out a three-day workshop for frontline workers in collaboration with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) in Bahrain. This workshop marked the continuation of a training completed in July 2022, to capacitate frontline workers from various work sectors to identify and respond to potential situations of human trafficking. Participants represented airport security, labour inspectors, LMRA staff, medical personnel and shelter staff.
The LMRA launched the Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity Building for Combatting Trafficking in Persons (RCoE) in 2021.
“We congratulate the participants of this workshop and encourage them to pass on the newly acquired knowledge to fellow staff members.” said Mohamed El Zarkani, IOM Chief of Mission in Bahrain. “It is essential for all frontline workers, in all sectors, to be trauma-informed and to protect potential victims from further harm,”
“This workshop concludes the third in a series of events conducted under the auspices of the RCoE.” said H.E. Nouf Jamsheer, Chief Executive Officer of the LMRA, “The LMRA aims to engage with various staff to enhance the identification and referral of potential victims of trafficking, as part of Bahrain’s broader strategy to combat trafficking in persons. We look forward to further cooperation with IOM to expand the RCoE’s activities.”
The workshop, held from 2-4 October 2022, was completed in the framework of IOM’s partnership with the LMRA, under which IOM has been supporting the RCoE, through the development of training resources and Standard Operating Procedures to enhance identification and referral protocols, with the overall aim of supporting the Government’s efforts to combat human trafficking.
The participants of this workshop were equipped with the knowledge and skills to become trainers on trauma-informed approaches to assisting potential victims of trafficking. They explored the impact of psychological trauma on victims and practical approaches to adapting their interactions with potential victims, including through the application of Psychological First Aid (PFA).
IOM first opened an office in Bahrain in 2018 and has since maintained a close working relationship with the Government of Bahrain, through the LMRA, and remains committed to working to further prevent and respond to trafficking in the Kingdom and lead on innovative counter-trafficking approaches in the region and beyond.
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22 September 2022
1.5-degree climate pledge ‘on life support’, Guterres tells leaders during frank exchanges
During a private meeting of Heads of State and Government, held on Wednesday at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for more action and leadership to tackle the climate crisis, warning that efforts to keep the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is “on life support”.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the UN chief said that he had talked to leaders about the climate emergency, and the “triple global crisis” of food, energy, and finance.
Mr. Guterres told the assembled leaders that the devastation he witnessed this month in Pakistan, where flooding covered around a third of the country at its height, occurred with global warming of 1.2 degrees; the world is currently on track for an overall increase of more than three degrees.
The meeting was billed in advance as a “frank and informal exchange” of views between leaders, co-chaired by Mr. Guterres and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, and an opportunity to address key issues ahead of the COP27 UN Climate Change conference, due to be held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh in November.
‘Fossil fuels are killing us’
Since last year’s conference in Glasgow, Scotland, climate impacts have worsened, and carbon emissions have risen to record levels, hitting vulnerable communities the hardest.
Four burning issues were addressed during the informal talks: emissions mitigation, climate finance, adaptation, and loss and damage.
On mitigation, Mr. Guterres told the leaders that although emissions must be cut almost in half before 2030, they are on track to rise by 14 per cent. He called on the representatives of the world’s leading economies – the G20 nations – to phase out coal, ramp up investment in renewables, and end their “fossil fuel addiction”.
“The fossil fuel industry is killing us”, he said, “and leaders are out of step with their people, who are crying out for urgent climate action.”
Under the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, developing countries were promised $100 billion per year to finance initiatives to help them cope with the effects of global warming.
To date, that target has not been achieved. The UN chief declared that financial commitments to the developing world must be delivered immediately, and in full.
“I emphasized the need to double adaptation support to $40 billion dollars a year by 2025” continued Mr. Guterres. “Climate destruction is happening now. People are suffering now”.
Looking ahead to COP27, the Secretary-General expressed his hope that the event will move these discussions forward, as a matter of climate justice, international solidarity and trust.
Cooperate to bring down prices
A G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will take place in Bali in November, during the last days of COP27, and Mr. Guterres urged leaders to take important decisions to tackle the “triple crisis” of food, energy and finance.
He urged international cooperation and solidarity to bring down prices that have soared since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, increase support to developing countries, and prevent a larger crisis next year.
International financial institutions must also step up and offer debt relief to developing countries, declared Mr. Guterres, and new mechanisms to get resources to countries that need them should be enhanced and expanded.
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15 October 2022
INTERVIEW: Guterres calls for course correction to end geopolitical divisions, tackle climate crisis
“My objective is to make it clear that …we need cooperation, we need dialogue, and the present terrible geopolitical divides are not allowing it to happen. We need to change course,” Mr. Guterres said in a wide-ranging interview with UN News ahead of the General Assembly’s annual high-level week.
The UN chief is just back from a solidarity visit to flood-ravaged Pakistan, where he called repeatedly for fast – and serious – to not only end what he called “climate carnage” but to provide more support for the countries that are the most-impacted but have done very little to cause the phenomenon.
He told UN News: “We need to increase support to developing countries, not only in the reduction of emissions, but in building resilience, in building the sustainable infrastructure that is necessary for those countries to be able to [withstand] the impacts that are already devastating them. Most of the [climate] hotspots in the world [are] countries that did not contribute in a meaningful way to climate change.”
On the geopolitical front, the Secretary-General stressed the need for more dedicated and tactful diplomacy to effect demonstrable change on tough issues, including the global food shortages that have been sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Using the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative as an example, the UN chief said: “This has demonstrated that discreet diplomacy is still able to achieve what megaphone diplomacy does not. This agreement would not have been possible if we had not worked persistently to get it done with discretion, avoiding the creation of situations in which inevitably both parties start to fight each other.”
The interview has been edited for clarity and length.
UN News: You’ve just returned from Pakistan where you visited areas hit by climate-related disaster. We are now alarmed at the drought and possibility of famine threatening Somalia. What do you want to say to those who still deny that climate change is real – do we not ignore it at our peril?
António Guterres: Well, climate change is the defining issue of our time. And I’m extremely worried because with the war in Ukraine and several other events, climate change seems to have moved out of the priorities for many decision makers around the world, and this is suicide. We see emissions growing and we see fossil fuels becoming fashionable again [even though] we know that fossil fuels are the main [cause] for the progressive war against nature that we have been waging throughout our history.
It is absolutely essential to reduce emissions now. And unfortunately, while we should be able to reduce 45 per cent of the emissions [by] 2030, we are [instead facing] an increase in emissions [by] 14 per cent in 2030. So, we absolutely need to reverse this trend. We are heading into a catastrophic situation, and we have not much time to turn things around.
And at the same time, when we look at Pakistan, the level of destruction and the area flooded is three times the [size] of my country [Portugal]. We need to increase support to developing countries, not only in the reduction of emissions, but in building resilience, in building the sustainable infrastructure necessary for those countries to be able to [withstand] the impacts that are already devastating them. Most of the [climate] hotspots in the world are countries that did not contribute in a meaningful way to climate change.
UN News: Every year, we usher in a new session of the General Assembly, often seen as a highlight of the year for the United Nations. What is your focus for this year’s GA, the first since the pandemic when we are meeting in person and with a major war in Europe drawing attention away from other global priorities?
António Guterres: My objective is to make it clear that the geopolitical divisions we are witnessing today are terrible. When the world is facing climate change, when the world is facing the possibility of other pandemics and COVID-19 has not yet been resolved, when the world is facing high levels of inequality between developed and developing countries, and huge inequality within countries. The world needs to really turn around on all these aspects. We need unity, we need cooperation, we need dialogue, and the present geopolitical divides are not allowing it to happen. We need to change course.
UN News: The war in Ukraine has triggered one of the fastest and largest refugee crises in history. Kyiv [the Ukrainian capital] was bombed while you were visiting the country. How does this crisis differ from many others that you’ve seen as a High Commissioner and later as UN Secretary-General?
António Guterres: Most of the crises I have witnessed are in developing countries, relatively poor countries, and most of them are internal, even if there is an intervention [by] external powers. They became civil wars or [were] terrorist activities inside the country. Now we have a war between one superpower and Ukraine, which is also a modern country. And we are talking about levels of devastation that are not possible in situations where the nature of the armaments and the military capacity are completely different.
So, this is indeed once again a war between two states, created by the invasion of one state by another, with levels of armament and levels of force mobilization that are unparalleled in recent times. On the other hand, we are witnessing the fastest movement of refugees and displaced persons in recent history, with terrible humanitarian consequences.
UN News: You are hosting a major gathering to look at transforming education which has suffered in so many countries. You are keen to find responses to the economic slowdown that has seen a massive decline in progress with sustainable development. Amid major geopolitical tensions, what is your best-case scenario to make progress on these fronts?
António Guterres: If I had to choose one thing to improve the world situation [and] peace and security, that thing would be education. If I had to choose one thing to improve the capacity of understanding of climate change and the response to climate change, that would be education. When I look to anything that could reduce inequalities in the world, that thing would be education. But unfortunately, we are seeing, with the dramatic situation that we have in the world today – the war on climate, pandemics – we are seeing education budgets being reduced.
And so, the summit on [transforming] education is a moment to mobilize the whole international community to make countries understand that they need to invest much more in education, and to make developed countries understand that they need to amplify, together with international financial institutions, the support to developing countries for them to be able to invest in education.
We have launched the International Finance Facility for Education with Gordon Brown, and my hope is that this facility will be quickly funded by all donors in order to really make a difference for the most vulnerable populations in the world.
UN News: The Black Sea Grain Initiative has already seen almost three million tonnes of food from Ukraine leave for destinations across the world, helping alleviate the food crisis and saving lives. What are some of the essential components of this success story? How optimistic are you that this formula could be applied to other complicated situations?
António Guterres: This has demonstrated that discreet diplomacy is still able to achieve what megaphone diplomacy does not. This agreement would not have been possible if we had not worked persistently to get it done with discretion, avoiding the creation of situations in which inevitably both parties start to push back against each other. And this is, I would say, the recipe for many of the crises in the world. Let’s do everything possible to reestablish the importance of discreet diplomacy in crisis solution in today’s world.
UN News: Human rights are one of the pillars of the UN’s work. You have flagged the dangers posed by rising hate speech, xenophobia and populist nationalism. Why is this happening, and what – on the other hand – gives you hope?
António Guterres: Well, these things have always existed, but they are now immensely amplified by social media and by all the [information technology] platforms that exist around the world.
On the other hand, when countries have difficulties in solving their problems, nationalism, xenophobia, making scapegoats, and [targeting] foreigners are unfortunately some of the things that are becoming more and more frequent. We need to understand that human rights must unite – unite communities, unite countries. Racism and xenophobia are two absolutely unacceptable manifestations of hatred that we need to... eliminate in our world.
UN News: For a long time, you have been expressing concerns over the reality that the world becoming more polarized, what you’ve called the ‘great fracture’. As Secretary General, it is obvious that this political reality makes your job more difficult. What can you do to bring the world together?
António Guterres: I do not have the power to make miracles. What we can do is to be determined to use as much as possible the instruments at our disposal – good offices, mediation – and do everything we can to make the world understand that the enormous challenges that we face can only be addressed with solidarity, cooperation and unity.
UN News: This time last year, COVID-19 seemed to be the biggest global crisis we were all living through, impacting the General Assembly and the UN’s operations. What should governments and the UN be doing to keep public health high on the agenda?
António Guterres: It is very important to solve the problems of [equitable distribution and availability of vaccines] where those problems still exist. This is something that the UN system is mobilizing behind. And second, it is absolutely essential to provide the countries that were impacted by COVID-19 – by the lockdowns, by the end of tourism, by many other aspects, and are today in a desperate situation, in a perfect storm, without fiscal space, with increased debt – mechanisms of debt relief, to have mechanisms of provision of liquidity to the developing countries that are more [stressed], including middle income countries, in order for them to be able to recover.
When we saw that the richer countries were able to print billions or even trillions to relaunch their economies, unfortunately, developing countries could not do the same... their currencies would, of course, go down the drain. So, international solidarity must be reestablished.
UN News: As you have begun your second term, how do you feel you would like to make the UN fit for purpose? What is the biggest reform you would like to see happen if you had your way?
António Guterres: We have launched Our Common Agenda, which is a series of projects, of ideas, of proposals, whose objective is to make the UN much more effective, and at the same time to reestablish multilateralism as the way to solve the world’s problems. My main objective is to [have] Our Common Agenda developed and adopted by Member States and to transform itself into the main instrument we have supporting the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to be able to bring more peace, more development, more justice and the effective respect of human rights to the world.
UN News: Given your emphasis on gender parity and engaging youth, what will you do to ensure your legacy in this respect? Do you want to see a young female successor?
António Guterres: First of all, we have reached parity in relation to senior management of the UN, about 200 senior leaders. We have parity in the Resident Coordinators, which means the coordinators of the UN activities in the different countries of the world. And we are moving toward the objective of reaching parity in 2028 at all levels of the work of the United Nations.
On the other hand, we have been mainstreaming gender into all policies of the UN, into all the actions of all agencies, and in all the work that we do. About the Secretary-General, I'm sorry. I'm not a woman. But I of course, see, with a lot of interest and sympathy, the possibility to have women not only as Secretary-General of the United Nations, but as leaders of the most [influential] countries in the world.
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Press Release
10 August 2022
The Secretary-General's Message for International Youth Day - 12 August
Today, we celebrate International Youth Day, and the power of partnerships across generations.
This year’s theme — “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages” — reminds us of a basic truth: we need people of all ages, young and old alike, to join forces to build a better world for all.
Too often, ageism, bias and discrimination prevent this essential collaboration. When young people are shut out of the decisions being made about their lives, or when older people are denied a chance to be heard, we all lose.
Solidarity and collaboration are more essential than ever, as our world faces a series of challenges that threaten our collective future.
From COVID-19 to climate change, to conflicts, poverty, inequality and discrimination, we need all hands on deck to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build the better, more peaceful future we all seek.
We need to support young people with massive investments in education and skills-building — including through next month’s Transforming Education Summit.
We also need to support gender equality and expanded opportunities for young people to participate in civic and political life.
It’s not enough to listen to young people — we need to integrate them into decision-making mechanisms at the local, national and international levels.
This is at the heart of our proposal to establish a new Youth Office at the United Nations.
And we need to ensure that older generations have access to social protection and opportunities to give back to their communities and share the decades of lived experience they have accumulated.
On this important day, let’s join hands across generations to break down barriers, and work as one to achieve a more equitable, just and inclusive world for all people.
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Press Release
09 August 2022
Bahrain’s Royal Humanitarian Foundation signs agreement to support earthquake relief efforts in Afghanistan
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency announced a US$ 1 million agreement with the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF), a Bahraini foundation, to support the relief efforts in earthquake-hit regions of Afghanistan.
The agreement was signed in Kabul by UNHCR Representative Leonard Zulu and the Secretary-General of RHF Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed in the presence of UNHCR Senior Advisor and Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries Khaled Khalifa.
In this agreement, the Royal Humanitarian Foundation will support UNHCR’s relief efforts in areas of southeastern Afghanistan that were struck by a deadly earthquake in late June that killed some 800 people and injured many others – the country’s worst earthquake in 20 years.
“This generous assistance will support the most urgent needs of earthquake-affected residents in the three worst-affected districts of southeastern Afghanistan, Giyan and Bermal in Paktika Province and Spera in Khost Province, with the construction of earthquake-resistant homes, protection services, and the delivery of essential relief items,” said UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan Leonard Zulu.
The Secretary-General of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation praised UNHCR’s efforts in providing relief to vulnerable persons.
“This grant affirms the Royal Humanitarian Foundation’s commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts worldwide and our confidence in UNHCR’s global relief capacity as an agency that provides humanitarian assistance swiftly and efficiently wherever it is needed,” said Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed.
UNHCR’s Senior Advisor and Representative to the GCC Countries, Khaled Khalifa, praised RHF’s pioneering humanitarian role, evidenced by its prompt response and readiness to provide the grant.
“The grant is yet another example of a true humanitarian partnership, ensuring timely assistance wherever it is needed,” he added. “Our partnership with the foundation plays a crucial role in assisting those in need in Afghanistan and around the world, which was made possible by the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.”
Over the past four decades, Afghanistan has been battered by conflicts and natural disasters that have left millions facing famine and starvation. The latest estimates indicate that some 24 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian assistance. There are around 3.5 million conflict-displaced persons in Afghanistan, as well as 1.57 million climate-displaced people, making it one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world.
For more information, please contact:
In Afghanistan, Peter Kessler, kessler@unhcr.org, +93 70 2465 614
In the United Arab Emirates, Khaled Kabbara, kabbara@unhcr.org, +971 50 641 0868
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Press Release
09 August 2022
Op-Ed: My Message from Hiroshima
On Saturday, I proudly stood with Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, and the people of Hiroshima in memory of an unprecedented catastrophe.
Seventy-seven years ago, nuclear weapons were dropped on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Tens of thousands of women, children and men were killed in the blink of an eye, incinerated in a hellish fire. Buildings turned to dust. The cities’ beautiful rivers ran with blood.
Those who survived were cursed with a radioactive legacy, stalked by health problems, and subjected to lifelong stigma because of the nuclear bombing.
I had the great honour of meeting with a group of those survivors — the hibakusha, whose numbers grow smaller each year. They told me with unflinching bravery what they witnessed on that terrifying day in 1945.
It is time for world leaders to be as clear-eyed as the hibakusha and see nuclear weapons for what they are. Nuclear weapons make no sense. They cannot deliver safety, protection or security. By design, they deliver only death and destruction.
Three-quarters of a century have passed since mushroom clouds swelled above Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since then, humanity has endured a Cold War, decades of absurd brinksmanship, and several terrifying near-misses that placed humanity within minutes of annihilation.
But even during the depths of the Cold War, nuclear powers made significant reductions in their nuclear arsenals. There was widespread acceptance of the principles against the use, proliferation and testing of nuclear arms.
Today, we are in danger of forgetting the lessons of 1945.
A new arms race is picking up speed, with governments spending hundreds of billions of dollars to upgrade their stockpiles of nuclear arms. Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now held in arsenals around the world. Geopolitical crises with grave nuclear undertones are spreading fast, from the Middle East, to the Korean peninsula, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Once again, humanity is playing with a loaded gun. We are one mistake, one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from Armageddon.
Leaders must stop knocking on doomsday’s door and take the nuclear option off the table for good.
It is unacceptable for states in possession of nuclear weapons to admit the possibility of nuclear war, which would spell the end of humanity.
By the same token, countries with nuclear weapons must commit to the “no first use” of those weapons. They must also assure States that do not have nuclear weapons that they will not use — or threaten to use — nuclear weapons against them, and be transparent throughout. Nuclear saber-rattling must stop.
In the end, there is only one solution to the nuclear threat: not to have nuclear weapons at all. This means opening every avenue of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation to ease tensions and eliminate these deadly weapons of mass destruction.
We are seeing fresh signs of hope in New York, where the world has come together for the Tenth Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The Treaty is one of the main reasons why nuclear weapons have not been used since 1945. It contains legally binding commitments to achieve nuclear disarmament, and can be a powerful catalyst for disarmament — the only way to eliminate these horrendous weapons once and for all.
And in June, members of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons met for the first time to develop a roadmap towards a world free of these doomsday devices.
We can no longer accept the presence of weapons that hang by a slender thread over humanity’s future.
It is time to heed the timeless message of the hibakusha: “No more Hiroshimas! No more Nagasakis!”
It is time to proliferate peace.
Together, step by step, let’s wipe these weapons off the face of the earth.
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Press Release
07 June 2022
Food Safety in Bahrain: Setting the Standard for the World
In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly designated 7 June as World Food Safety Day. This decision has been made in light of the critical need to raise awareness at all levels and to promote and mobilise actions to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks. This year's theme is: "Safer food, better health." Food, after all, is more than just what we eat. It is the foundation of our culture, economy, and relationship with the natural world. Food safety is essential to human health and well-being. It contributes to a healthy life, economy, planet, and future. On the other hand, unsafe foods cause many diseases and contribute to other health conditions, such as impaired growth, micronutrient deficiencies, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and mental illness. Globally, one in ten people is affected by foodborne diseases annually due to contaminated food products.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has a high standard of food safety management that aligns with international best practices. This performance is undoubtedly beneficial to long-term human development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 3 (Health and Well-being), and Goal 6 (Water and Sanitation). Bahrain is a regional trendsetter in food safety. In addition to developing its national policies and guidelines, it also participates in standards formulation, implementation, and evaluation in the food safety committee within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. It is also commendable that the Kingdom of Bahrain employs a multi-agency approach to food safety governance. The safety and quality of imported foods are strictly controlled. Although Bahrain does not formally apply the "One Health" approach, it applies stringent safety standards to imported livestock to protect local livestock, the environment and the citizens. This effort is being carried out in collaboration with the other GCC countries. As the country's plans for increasing local food production unfold, it is essential to enhance the food safety measures related to local production.
It is also critical that how we produce, process, market and consume our food, and dispose of our waste establishment -which we have coined 'food systems'- is sustainable[1]. When food systems function well, they deliver food security and nutrition, allowing increased accessibility, affordability of a safe food for all, for an active, healthy life.
As a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resulting decline in the global wheat supply, 44 million people in 38 countries are suffering from emergency levels of hunger, with price increases of up to 30 per cent for staple foods threatening people in countries across Africa and the Middle East. While the Kingdom of Bahrain and other GCC countries have been the least affected by the war in Ukraine, thanks to generous government subsidies, its food security may be challenged by climate change, urbanization trends, and the vulnerability they bring to the existing food system. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the extent to which climate change affects individual regions and countries will vary over time. Moreover, different societal and environmental systems will have varied abilities to mitigate or adapt to change. As a result of its recognition of global climate change challenges, the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain has been actively engaged in consultation within the Global Food Systems Summit convened by the UN Secretary-General in September 2021, identifying food security and self-sufficiency of agricultural and fishery products as priorities for cooperation with the United Nations.
As a follow-up to last year's highly successful Global Food Systems Summit in New York, the Secretary-General has established a Food Systems Coordination Hub to bring together the UN system capacities for supporting all countries in transforming national food systems. Until September 2022, the Hub will host a series of monthly Food Systems Solutions Dialogues that will cover various areas of food systems.
Within the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the period 2021-2024, the UN Country Team in Bahrain will continue to support Bahrain in developing food systems towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to showcase Bahrain's food safety standards model at a global level.
[1] Why Food Systems Matter https://summitdialogues.org/overview/dialogues-and-the-food-systems-summit/why-food-systems-matter/
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Press Release
19 June 2022
Statement by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Mr. Khaled Al Mekwad, after presenting his credentials
I had the honor to meet yesterday His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, to present my credentials as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom.
I conveyed to his Excellency my aspiration to build on the fruitful partnership between the United Nations and the Kingdom of Bahrain and the remarkable development of joint cooperation frameworks in recent years.
The United Nations in Bahrain will work with national partners from the government sector, the private sector, and civil society, within the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2024 signed with the Government in May 2021, to achieve the sustainable development goals in Bahrain, in line with the Kingdom’s national priorities as defined by the Economic Vision 2030 of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
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22 March 2021
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