By Busani Bafana
BULAWAYO, Oct 11 2024 – A holistic approach and transformative change of systems are needed to tackle biodiversity loss and to put the world on a sustainable path, an assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has recommended.

The world is facing an interconnected crisis of unprecedented biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and environmental degradation that can no longer be tackled through fragmented and piecemeal solutions, a forthcoming assessment by IPBES will show, calling for holistic approaches instead. 

IPBES is set to launch two scientific assessments, the  Nexus Assessment and Transformative Change Assessment, in December 2024, which recommend holistic solutions to tackling the connected and converging crises of biodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change because’ “siloed” approaches are proving unsuccessful.’

In addition, the assessment calls for urgent “transformative change” by intergovernmental bodies, private sector organizations and civil society to respond to the nature and climate crises.

IPBES is an intergovernmental organization established to improve the interface between science and policy on issues of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The historic IPBES Global Assessment Report of 2019 found that meeting global sustainability targets for 2030 and beyond requires a fundamental, system-wide reorganization, including new paradigms.

IPBES Head of Communications, Rob Spaull, said the assessments represent the best science evidence for critical action to tackle biodiversity loss available to policymakers.

“This is the most ambitious science report we have done because these five issues by themselves are complex and this assessment  pulls them together,” Spaull said in a pre-report launch media briefing this week.

The Nexus Assessment identifies important trade-offs and opportunities within the multi-dimensional polycrisis: To what extent do efforts to address one crisis add to others? And which policy options and actions would produce the greatest benefits across the board? The report will offer an unprecedented range of responses to move decisions and actions beyond single-issue silos. The report was produced over three years by 101 experts in 42 countries.

“Global crises in biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change often intensify each other when addressed separately and should therefore be tackled together,” said Paula Harrison, co-chair of the IPBES Nexus Assessment report, in a statement.

“The Nexus Assessment is among the most ambitious work ever undertaken by the IPBES community, offering an unprecedented range of response options to move decisions and actions beyond single issue silos.”

The Transformative Change Assessment looks at the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity. The report also assesses the determinants of transformative change, the biggest obstacles it faces and how it occurs. It also identifies achievable options to foster, accelerate and maintain transformative change towards a sustainable world and the steps to achieve global visions for transformative change.

A statement by IPBES notes that the Transformative Change Report will provide decision-makers, including policymakers, with “the best available evidence, analysis and options for actions leading to transformative change and build an understanding of the implications of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss for achieving the Paris Climate Agreement, global biodiversity targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Sustainable Development Goals and other major international development objectives.”

The 11th session of the IPBES Plenary, the first ever to take place in Africa from December 10 to 16, will discuss and approve the reports. IPBES represents nearly 150 governments and seeks to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Spaull said the assessments underline the need to find holistic solutions to addressing biodiversity loss.

“The assessments are looking at how when you try and fix one part of the system you have unintended consequences in other parts of the system; for instance, in many countries there is a big push to plant trees to mitigate climate change and for carbon sequestration and with (unintended) consequences for biodiversity. For example, planting one kind of tree may be damaging to the ecology or water supply and also have an impact on health, so it means there is a need to find a balance.”

He said the reports also highlight responding to issues simultaneously, which is also the emphasis on meeting the SDGs, which have to be addressed systematically rather than in silos.

“For example, there has been a big increase in the volume of food production in past decades and an increase in caloric output that has helped global health but on the other hand, this has resulted in biodiversity loss because the massive food production has been done through intensive agriculture methods that deplete water and have massive gas emissions,” said Spaull.

Furthermore, IPBES has influenced and shaped national and international biodiversity policy through providing policymakers with clear, scientifically based recommendations and helping governments make informed decisions about conservation, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

Through its assessments, IPBES highlights the interconnectedness of biodiversity, human health, economic stability, and environmental sustainability, making it a critical player in the global response to the biodiversity crisis.

Spaull noted that IPBES work has been instrumental in informing progress assessments on biodiversity-related SDGs.

IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

By Jen Ross
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 2024 – In line with the 2024 International Day of the Girl theme, ‘Girls’ vision for the future’, a dozen Afghan girls speak up to express their hardships and resilience. They also share their visions for the future.

Negina, a 15-year-old student-turned teacher from Bamyan

“I went through a period of severe depression, but with the help of my family, I managed to regain my spirit and start reading some books again. And for the past six months, I’ve been teaching 12 neighbourhood children who, due to poverty or other reasons, couldn’t go to school. We hold daily one-hour classes in one of the rooms in our house. I’ve been teaching them subjects like math and Dari, and fortunately, they can now read and write. Despite my concerns about my own future, when I see my students, who are able to learn and have a desire for education with my help, it rejuvenates me. Sometimes my worries weigh me down, but I raise my head high and promise myself that I will achieve my dreams. We are girls who have lived with human rights and freedom, and we are still fighting for what rightfully belongs to us, which is freedom and equality.” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Sadaf, an 18-year-old writer from Kapisa

“My journey into the world of writing began when I was nearly 15 years old. I was motivated to use the power of words to address the challenges faced by women. I wanted to write about the Taliban and raise the voice of women and what they are experiencing in Afghanistan, but my father never let me do that and he beat me. I remember burning my stories several times [so he wouldn’t find them]. I encountered difficulties, including financial constraints that made buying a computer impossible. I’ve faced a lot of difficulties because of the Taliban. They’ve brainwashed my father with false ideas about Islam and women’s duties. Now my father doesn’t treat me well because I want to raise my voice for my rights. I’m not someone who gives up when things get tough. Instead, I see these challenges as opportunities to grow and become stronger.” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Najla, a child bride from Wardak

“Despite all my efforts, sleepless nights studying and working hard to get good grades and learn new things to have my dreams come true, I was forced into marriage [at the age of 17]. From a young age, I have been through a lot. Unfortunately, now I am living through the pain of seeing my future as dark as my son’s ashes. We are walking towards an unknown future with no education, no work, and poverty and violence are at their peak.” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Parisa, a former student from Mazar

“I thought the best years of my life would be my teenage years. But after the events of 15 August 2021, when I attempted suicide for the second time as an 18-year-old girl and spent the hardest days of my life, I realized that adolescence is not pleasant and wonderful. I was in my last year of high school when education for girls was banned, and my dream of wearing a white coat and becoming a doctor vanished. I faced very difficult conditions, and every night I had nightmares and tremendous fear for the Taliban. When the Taliban first entered the city, I couldn’t leave the house for a month. I witnessed girls being whipped by the Taliban just because they didn’t wear the desired hijab. I look forward to a day when women and men will stand side-by-side again, experiencing equal rights.” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Mahnaz, a forced bride and former university student from Farah

“My hopes were shattered, and I was forced to accept a marriage that would lead my future into darkness. My family, especially my father and brothers, insisted on this marriage. They argued, ‘What else can you do? There are no opportunities for women; all doors to education are closed. We can no longer afford to support your living expenses. It’s better for you to get married and begin your own life.’ Even if the Taliban allows universities to reopen, my family will likely not permit me to attend, and I have lost the motivation to start from scratch. Moreover, it’s unclear what the curriculum will entail under the Taliban regime. Will it emphasize human rights and humanity, or violence and killing?” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Nazmina, a former journalism student from Kapisa

“In the early days of the Republic’s collapse, I endured challenging times, spending months in severe depression. I lost my job and, soon after, the university gates were closed to me. I felt like my dreams, aspirations and identity had been reduced to nothing. It is essential to support those who have been pushed into oblivion under these dreadful and inhumane conditions, facing numerous challenges in their lives. I have sought to provide educational opportunities for girls who survived the disruption of schooling. Today, even if the doors of schools and universities are closed to us women, we have transformed our homes into schools and universities. Women in Afghanistan must receive support from the people and the international community in every possible way. I am certain that the sole path to fighting the Taliban and gender discrimination in Afghanistan is to support women and girls.”

Rabia, a former basketball athlete from Herat

“Before the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, I was a member of the national basketball team. But after the events of 15 August, all my dreams were shattered overnight. Right now, things in the country are very unpredictable. It’s like going to sleep at night, and when you wake up in the morning, you find out that they’ve added new rules for women. The hardest part for me was when they said girls can’t play sports anymore. I had put in so much effort and overcome so many challenges to make it to the National Basketball Team, and suddenly, they took away my job, my freedom and the sport I loved. Now, I train about 50 girls below the sixth grade in one of the orphanages in Herat. I train them in sports like volleyball, soccer and basketball. I also secretly teach some of the older girls.” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Mahbuba, a midwifery student from Sarpol

“After 15 August 2021, the situation took a grim turn. The arrival of the Taliban darkened our lives. They imposed their strict rules and regulations on us, confining us to our homes, effectively taking away our freedoms and rights. … Our lives have become a constant battle between our aspirations and the harsh reality imposed by the Taliban. With every obstacle we face, we are reminded that the fundamental rights and freedoms we once took for granted have slipped away, and our journey through a rapidly changing Afghanistan is fraught with uncertainty and danger. Why is it that just because one is born a girl in this country, they have to pay a lifelong price?” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Motahara, a baker and former nursing student from Logar

“After a few months of wallowing in such despair, I realized that I have to be strong for my children, so I started baking some cakes and cookies at home that my husband could sell at the market. I also have two other women who help me. I hope to one day be able to grow my business so that I can provide more jobs for other women. We must rise, united as one voice, and demonstrate that we can achieve our fundamental rights to work, an education and freedom.” Credit: Sayed Habib Bidell

Note: These profiles and others can be found at After August, the women’s stories were shared with IPS’ readers courtesy of UN Women, Limbo and Zan Times, where Afghan women and girls tell their stories in their own words (with anonymized photos and names and locations changed to protect their identity).

IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

Excerpt:

The 15 August 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan devastated the lives of millions of Afghans. But the rights and freedoms of women and girls in particular have been progressively trampled by a series of edicts that have created a virtual system of gender apartheid.

By Qu Dongyu
ROME, Oct 11 2024 – This year the theme for World Food Day is “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future.” It’s a timely reminder that all people have the right to adequate foods. But how do we get from a right to a reality? And why is it so important to think about not just having sufficient food, but also the diversity of diets?

That’s why I speak of “Foods” in the plural, emphasizing this diversity, as well as food availability, food accessibility and food affordability for all. Right now, the world’s farmers produce more than enough food to feed the global population in terms of calories.

Yet around 730 million people are facing hunger due to man-made and natural disasters, including conflict, recurrent weather shocks, inequalities and economic downturns.

Billions lack healthy diets
Another harsh reality is that over 2.8 billion people in the world are unable to afford a healthy diet, which is a leading cause of all forms of malnutrition.

Credit: FAO

Simply put, almost one third the global population today is not getting the nutrients and micronutrients they need to thrive and, in some cases, survive. This means that the quality of life for roughly half the world is more urgently in need of improvement.

We need a greater diversity of nutritious and affordable foods to be available in our fields, fishing nets, markets and on our tables, for the benefit of all.

This is not just about populations’ nutritional requirements, but also about ensuring that our agrifood systems are efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, so that they can be respectful of traditional food cultures and healthy diets based on science and in line with personal preferences.

Another crucial consideration is the long-term health and sustainability of the environment on which we rely to produce these foods and which needs biodiversity to thrive.

The right to foods will not in itself fill stomachs or put more diverse diets on plates. But it does help frame our collective aspirations for the kind of just and equitable world we want to live in. It creates concrete obligations for governments and key partners to fulfil, and it should encourage all of us to do our part to ensure it is realized.

This is the reason for action. Now.

FAO’s role
At the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we are working hard to turn this right into a reality, even in the face of a range of challenges. In conflict zones, access to foods is being disrupted, leading to malnutrition and hunger.

In these and other hunger hotspots, FAO’s efforts are focused on rebuilding agricultural infrastructure to ensure food availability and accessibility for long-term food security, with all tools and channels.

Aside from such emergency interventions, key FAO programmes such as the Hand in Hand initiative, One Country One Priority Product, Blue Economy and Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCPs) also target medium to long term food security and nutrition across a wide range of countries.

In many places, dietary changes and market concentration driven by globalization have led to increased health issues, including obesity and diabetes. School feeding programmes supported by FAO play an important role in helping address these challenges, as they source food from local farmers and ensure children receive nutritious meals.

In many countries, across all regions, FAO is working with fishing communities and local governments to expand social protection and economic inclusion of the most vulnerable by helping them diversify their production, build alternative income sources and connect to new markets.

Inflation, particularly during periods of economic instability, can make food unaffordable. In some African countries for example FAO’s initiatives include cash transfers to the poorest households, helping them afford food during hyperinflation.

The climate crisis poses a significant threat to global food security. Erratic weather patterns and natural disasters can devastate crops and livestock. For example, in some countries in Asia FAO has introduced climate-smart agriculture techniques to help farmers adapt to changing climatic conditions, ensuring consistent food production.

Furthermore, by working closely with governments, FAO helps develop legal frameworks and has assisted in drafting national policies towards ensuring food security and nutrition for all.

Collective action needed
But it’s not just governments which we call upon to engage in this battle. Collective action can drive substantial change, with global collaboration from all sectors, and all partners – governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and individuals.

And especially the youth – because a food secure future is their right. They design and decide the future. All calls from the UN Summit of the Future is determined by their actions.

Farmers can make a difference by practising sustainable agriculture that enhances biodiversity and manages natural resources responsibly. Businesses can make nutritious and diverse foods available more affordably.

Academia and civil society can hold governments accountable by collecting data, identifying areas for improvement, implementing scientech solutions and measuring progress towards targets.

Science and innovation including IT, Biotechnology, AI and Digital Agriculture, and others, will be a decisive force for agrifood systems transformation. Finally, all of us as consumers can and should play our role in reducing the “foodprint”, practicing healthy lifestyles, raising our voices to influence decision-making, reducing food waste, and promoting food diversity.

This World Food Day let us renew our commitment to build more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems that honour everyone’s right to varied and nutritious foods.

Together, we can get back on track to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – our collective pledge to take action for people, planet, and prosperity.

We can accomplish this by transforming global agrifood systems to ensure the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind.

Our Actions are our Future.

Dr QU Dongyu is Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

IPS UN Bureau

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

Excerpt:

World Food Day 2024

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 2024 – Last week, on October 3, a violent gang attack on the residents in the central Haitian city Pont-Sondé resulted in 115 deaths and spread fear among communities. This attack was described as one of the deadliest massacres in recent history in Haiti. Pervasive gang violence threatens to destabilize Haiti as the environment grows more dangerous by the day.

Pont-Sondé was once a booming center of commerce that bordered Haiti’s longest river, the Artibonite. It has since become a hotspot for gang activity with attacks and kidnappings becoming more frequent in recent years. The United Nations (UN) reported that at least 20 different armed groups are based in this region, including the Gran Grif gang, who were responsible for the attack on Pont-Sondé.

Last week’s massacre was particularly indiscriminate, as babies, senior citizens, and entire families were killed. Among those killed in last week’s massacre were entire families, babies, and senior citizens, showing just how indiscriminate the attacks were. On October 9, Myriam Fièvre, mayor of the nearby city of Saint-Marc stated that the death toll is expected to rise, as there are bodies that are in areas currently inaccessible to the authorities. This has alarmed Haitian authorities and humanitarian organizations alike, as attacks of this magnitude have not been seen outside of the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which has the highest gang activity in the nation.

“This is the most terrifying massacre in decades in Haiti. It’s definitely a show of force”, said Romain Le Cour, senior expert on Haiti for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. On October 4, Haitian authorities replaced the commissioner for the Artibonite River region in an effort to keep track of gang activity and deter future attacks.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that over 6,200 people have been displaced as a result of last week’s attack, with many fleeing to Saint-Marc and its neighboring cities. The majority are staying with relatives or host families, while around 750 people are seeking refuge in makeshift displacement shelters, such as schools and churches.

In the days following the attack, Saint-Marc had been overwhelmed by the sudden influx of displaced persons. Fièvre expressed concern with the increase in Gran Grif activity in surrounding areas.

There has been much public outrage among Haitian residents following the recent massacre. Prior to October 3, the Gran Grif gang had announced their plans on social media. Haitian residents are furious that authorities didn’t do anything to intervene and are blaming the government.

“I have to thank the government, because the gangs are killing people and kids cannot go to school. They’ve been announcing that they were coming a number of times on social media. The night that they invaded, there was nothing that they [Haitian authorities] were able to do”, stated morgue driver Lunoir Jean Chavanne, who had lost multiple relatives in the massacre. The UN has also been critical of the Haitian authorities, adding that their response was “inadequate and inconsistent”.

Earlier this year, the UN had announced its first contingent mission based in Haiti in an effort to eliminate gang activity and protect civilians. However, many Haitians have expressed their concern due to the protection measures primarily taking place in Port-au-Prince. “It’s going to be even harder to open multiple battlefronts”, Le Cour said.

The UN and its affiliated groups are currently on the frontlines of the crisis distributing medicines, hot meals, reproductive health supplies, and cash transfers to affected communities. They have affirmed their solidarity with Haitian authorities and are mobilized to scale up response efforts if required.

IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
MOSCOW, Oct 11 2024 – Russia is pursuing, during these contemporary times, a new form of economic architecture, non-hegemonic policies and simultaneously portraying its first-class military power in the world. Russia’s development paradigm is distinctively different and largely oriented towards Global South.

While Russia stands against Western hegemony and dominance, and against NATO, Israel maintains a complex relationship between the United States characterized by deep-rooted historical ties.

But a closer examination also glaringly shows Russia and Israel have in common a depopulation agenda, Russia is demilitarizing its neighbour Ukraine, both were closely-knitted republics in the Soviet times, while Israel aims at settling on Palestine territory.

Russia referred to its war with Ukraine as a ‘special military operation’ which it began on 24th February 2022 soon after Federation Council and the State Duma approved (both houses of legislators). It has since been reviewing ‘peace initiatives’ offered by China, South Africa and many others. Brazil and India are currently pushing for a peace summit. In the case of Israel, it has completely brushed aside the ‘two-state’ resolution by the United Nations.

The United States has extended a combination of different kinds of support to Israel since its recognition after its establishment in 1948. The general perception is that throughout the 20th century, particularly during the Cold War, the United States viewed Israel as a crucial ally against common enemies such as Nazism and communism.

Furthermore, it has provided significant military aid to Israel, approximately $3.8 billion annually. Based upon these and without doubts, Israel therefore represents United States strategic interests in the region.

With the escalation of Israel war in the region, Russia has started talking about peace initiatives, in contrast to its accepting peace initiatives in the case of Ukraine. Russia has voiced concerns over potential Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Russia and Iran have excellent relations.

Earlier, a number of foreign media outlets reported that Israel might attack Iran’s nuclear facilities in retaliation for its earlier massive missile strike. Meanwhile, the United States has indicated that it did not support this idea.

With the conflict continuing and showing signs of disastrous consequences including in Syria, Lebanon and Iran, Russia gave a more realistic warning in early October, especially to its citizens in Israel. Latest Israeli airstrikes attack on the vicinity of Russia’s Khmeimim base in Syria necessitated Kremlin to order its estimated 1.5 million citizens to immediately leave Israel.

It further warned its people to get out before it’s too late. Something big was coming. Russia also evacuated citizens from Lebanon. The perception was that Russia was first neutral and played the double games with Israel as a means to protect its citizens, and also has little moral to advocate for peace between Israel and Palestine.

Palestine-Israeli conflict, which began in October 2023, has received global condemnations. At first, Russia has been extra-cautious talking about the Palestine-Israeli situation because of two main factors. The first is connected to its own military bombardment of Ukraine, distinctive similar to Ukraine.

South Africa has not raised genocide allegations in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, though. As the developments at the Gaza Strip show, it has taken on the genocide case triggered by a disproportionate military response or the high number of Palestinian casualties.

Then, the second point is Russia has an excellent relationship with Israel that it found it extremely difficult to publicly condemned Israel’s atrocities on Palestine. Russia and Israel have been strengthening their bilateral relations.

Both have stressed the importance of continuing active work in all areas of bilateral cooperation and the development of economic and trade, scientific, and cultural spheres, despite the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, and specifically between Palestine and Israel. Russia, at the initial stages suggested adopting measures to undertake a broad dialogue in ensuring territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Putin, as far back, on October 2023, expressed Russia’s sincere condolences to the families and friends of the Israeli victims. In addition, he warned about further escalation of violence and to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. In particular, he informed the Israeli side of the key points of the telephone conversation with the leaders of Palestine, Egypt, Iran and Syria.

Besides warning, Russia’s principled commitment to continue its work to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and achieve a peaceful settlement through political and diplomatic means was reaffirmed.

It was only quite recently, in December last year, that Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated Russia’s principled position in rejecting and condemning terrorist in all of its manifestations, the Kremlin press service said after his phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The conversation focused on the situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and, in particular, on the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Vladimir Putin reiterated the principled position of rejecting and condemning terrorism in all of its manifestations. Along with that, it is extremely important to ensure that efforts against terrorist threats do not entail such severe consequences for the civilian population,” it said.

The situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was among the central topics during Putin’s talks with the Saudi Crown Prince and the Presidents of the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Egypt earlier in December 2023. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria, as well as a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Late January, the Israel Defense Forces has stormed a number of cities in the West Bank in sharp escalated battles with Palestinian resistance, according several media reports including Al Jazeera. Israel has declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Egypt and Jordan have also submitted settlement proposals for the Gaza Strip.

The Middle East is becoming a new arena of geopolitical confrontation. And Russian experts on the Middle-East issues have been up and offering their views since the conflicted October 7, the beginning of the conflict. The experts maintained that Russia has been actively building up its relations with countries across the Middle East in the context of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Middle East expert Andrey Ontikov told Izvestia newspaper that if the Europeans and Americans truly wanted to promote the idea of a two-state solution, they could put some pressure on Israel’s leadership.

“While a part of the elite is committed to the idea of establishing an independent Palestinian state, others believe that the [window of] time for this has been lost. Much will depend on the outcome of the war,” he said, adding that resolving the Palestinian issue politically would depend on both the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves, Dmitry Mariyasis, leading researcher with the Department of Israel Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies.

According to experts interviewed by Russia’s Izvestia newspaper, Moscow’s goal here is to find partner support in its confrontation with the West, including in Ukraine. Finding ways to reduce tensions not only between the Jewish state and radical Palestinian movement Hamas, but also in the region as a whole became a key topic of discussion at a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

On 28th December 2023, Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov praised Netanyahu for not criticizing Russia in public statements regarding the ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. Lavrov said that Russia’s goals of “demilitarization” and “denazification” in Ukraine were similar to Israel’s stated goals of defeating Hamas and extremism in Gaza.

Excerpts from the briefing held on 12th January 2024, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed absolute regret over the massive civilian casualties in the current escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “Russia proceeds from the unacceptability of targeted violence against civilians and the deliberate destruction of medical facilities and other civilian infrastructure.”

“Our country calls for strict compliance with international law, an immediate ceasefire in accordance with the decisions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly,” argued Zakharova, while she closed her eyes on the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine conflict which began 24th February 2022.

In a nutshell, Russia has appreciable multifaceted relations with Israel these several years, just as it has with South Africa. But what seems to be important for the Kremlin is readiness to provide possible assistance to alleviate the suffering of civilians and de-escalate the conflict.

In the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin’s comments on Palestine-Israeli was in addition to reaffirm its principled position on the essence to avoid such grave consequences for the civilian population while countering terrorist threats. In short, there would not be any attempt, not even the least sign in the near future, to sever decades-old relations between Israel and Russia.

Kester Kenn Klomegah focuses on current geopolitical changes, foreign relations and economic development-related questions in Africa with external countries. Most of his well-resourced articles are reprinted in several reputable foreign media.

IPS UN Bureau

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

By IPS Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 2024 – The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres congratulated grassroots Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo on being awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.

“The atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, also known as the hibakusha, are selfless, soul-bearing witnesses of the horrific human cost of nuclear weapons,” he said in a statement.

“While their numbers grow smaller each year, the relentless work and resilience of the hibakusha are the backbone of the global nuclear disarmament movement.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2024 Peace Prize for “its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.”

The committee said the global movement arose in response to the atom bomb attacks of August 1945.

“The testimony of the Hibakusha—the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—is unique in this larger context. These historical witnesses have helped to generate and consolidate widespread opposition to nuclear weapons around the world by drawing on personal stories, creating educational campaigns based on their own experience, and issuing urgent warnings against the spread and use of nuclear weapons. The Hibakusha help us to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable, and to somehow grasp the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons.”

It singled out Nihon Hidankyo, who reportedly cried following the announcement and other representatives of the Hibakusha to have contributed greatly to the establishment of the “nuclear taboo.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee acknowledged one encouraging fact: “No nuclear weapon has been used in war in nearly 80 years.”

The award comes as the world prepares to mark 80 years since two American atomic bombs killed an estimated 120 000 inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A comparable number died of burn and radiation injuries in the months and years that followed.

“Today’s nuclear weapons have far greater destructive power. They can kill millions and would impact the climate catastrophically. A nuclear war could destroy our civilization,” the committee said.

“The fates of those who survived the infernos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were long concealed and neglected. In 1956, local Hibakusha associations along with victims of nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific formed the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. This name was shortened in Japanese to Nihon Hidankyo. It would become the largest and most influential Hibakusha organisation in Japan.”

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 fulfills Alfred Nobel’s desire to recognize efforts of the greatest benefit to humankind.

Guterres said he would “never forget my many meetings with them over the years. Their haunting living testimony reminds the world that the nuclear threat is not confined to history books.  Nuclear weapons remain a clear and present danger to humanity, once again appearing in the daily rhetoric of international relations.”

He said the only way to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons is to eliminate them altogether.
IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);