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26 May 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ms. Cristina Duarte, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa,<\/p>\n Ambassador Fatima Mohammed, Permanent Observer of the African Union Mission to the United Nations in New York,<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Distinguished Delegates,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thank you for the opportunity to address the 2022 Africa Dialogue Series.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We begin this year\u2019s dialogue, which is focused on resilience in nutrition and food security, under the shadow of the threat of famine, of rising food prices, of supply chain breakdowns and stress.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with armed conflicts, have disrupted supply chains of food and essential materials. These factors are driving food prices to new highs and threatening lives and livelihoods.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Food security was already a challenge in Africa, but recent events have highlighted how Africa\u2019s challenges are magnified by external shocks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Added to this are the continued and ever-increasing impacts of climate change. Floods and droughts in Africa and throughout the world continue to impact agricultural production.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\u2026.]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Against this background, the African Union\u2019s theme of the year, and the Africa Dialogue Series, present us with a proposal to overcome this challenge: strengthening the continent\u2019s resilience.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My friends, make no mistake, resilience is indeed the best tool we have to advance to protect our development gains.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this regard, the Africa Dialogue Series presents, through its sub-themes, four main dimensions of resilience that need to be addressed to ensure long-term sustainability.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n First, food systems are the thread that links farmers, communities, and their environment. Promoting resilience in this context implies prioritizing data and evidence-based planning exercises that consider the specific context of each country, and looks into the long-term.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Second, digitization is a gamechanger that can easily support increases in production. Financing for small holder farmers is an indispensable tool that can enable African farmers access to the latest technologies to improve their productivity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Third, food-based social protection initiatives, such as school-feeding programmes, are essential to building resilience against socio-economic crises, to address malnutrition, and to invest in Africa\u2019s greatest resource: its youth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And fourth, understanding the food-climate-energy nexus is critical to achieving resilience. Implementing climate smart agricultural technology, including off-grid renewable energy solutions to deploy irrigation systems, is indispensable to equip African farmers with the tools they need to overcome the risks created by climate change.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My friends,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We are not lacking in food; indeed, we have enough to feed the planet. What we do have is gaps in distribution, in access, in purchasing power.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Transforming food systems therefore requires addressing these underlying inequalities and restoring fair, or equitable, access to resources, including water, land, and seeds, as well as access to information, technology, and justice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It also includes support for vulnerable groups, such as women, indigenous peoples, farmers and fishers, and migrants.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\u2026.]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and now, the war in Ukraine, have shown us that developing nations are constantly faced with external shocks whose sources they cannot prevent nor control.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More efforts are needed to prevent, anticipate, prepare for, cope with, and recover from shocks, and to not only bounce back but to go further, stronger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am confident that these two days of High-level Policy Dialogues will provide the opportunity for insightful discussions, and I trust they will feed into the discussions of the General Assembly to collectively identify actionable recommendations to support Africa\u2019s sustainable development.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I wish you a successful Africa Dialogue Series.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thank you.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Virtual<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-266207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n