Day: July 29, 2023

JAKARTA, 29th July, 2023 (WAM) The Sixteenth Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (16th ACMW Meeting) was held on 26-27 July via videoconference. The event was hosted and chaired by Indonesia’s Ministry of Manpower as the ACMW Chair 2023-2024. Over 50 delegates from the ACMW focal points of all ten ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress on the implementation of the Action Plan (2018-2025) of the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. Key outcomes and challenges of the completed initiatives as well as the implementation of ongoing and planned projects were discussed. The meeting also examined the results of the AMS’ second self-assessment on the implementation of the ASEAN Consensus. Steady progress and increased efforts were observed to have been made in realising the commitments of the ASEAN Consensus. The meeting also deliberated on the recently adopted ASEAN Declarations related to the protection of migrant workers, namely the ASEAN Declaration on Portability of Social Security Benefits for Migrant Workers in ASEAN, ASEAN Declaration on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Family Members in Crisis Situations, and ASEAN Declaration on the Placement and Protection of Migrant Fishers, as well as the ongoing development of the respective guidelines to turn commitments into concrete actions. The Action Plan 2018-2025 of the ASEAN Consensus is accessible here. Representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) also attended the open session together with their respective donor partners from Australia, Canada, and the European Union (EU). The open session concluded with representatives of ILO and IOM agreeing to review and update the ongoing partnership and to explore other priority areas for future collaboration, including strengthening efforts and initiatives to prevent human trafficking and labour exploitation of migrant workers as well as promoting safe and fair migration in the region. Tariq Al Fahaam

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

ABU DHABI, 28th July, 2023 (WAM) — President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has received condolences on the passing of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during telephone conversations with King Mohammed VI of Morocco; Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania; Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Republic of the Maldives; Mario Abdo Benitez, President of the Republic of Paraguay; and Santiago Pena, President-elect of Paraguay. During the calls, the leaders expressed their sincere condolences to His Highness the President and the entire Al Nahyan family, and asked God to grant the late Sheikh Saeed peace and mercy, and solace and patience to all in this time of grief. His Highness thanked Their Majesties and Excellencies, expressing happiness at the strong ties binding their countries to the UAE and for their earnest wishes for the Emirates, its leadership and people. Khoder Nashar

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

ROME, 29th July, 2023 (WAM) — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed, 25 million in additional funding from the European Union (EU) to extend and scale up the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme. Since 2017, the initiative has been working with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to reduce unsustainable wildlife hunting, conserve wildlife, and strengthen people’s livelihoods and food security. The first phase of the initiative received, 45 million from the EU, with co-funding from the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM) and French Development Agency (AFD). This second phase will run from August 2023 to May 2029 and will be part of NaturAfrica, the new EU initiative for biodiversity conservation in Africa. In this new phase, FAO will continue to lead a consortium of partners, which includes the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). “The SWM Programme has a significant contribution to make as we work towards a sustainable and food-secure world for all,” said Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, FAO. “The initiative contributes to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as well as to the “four betters” in the new FAO Strategic Framework 20222031. For example, the Programme is working towards “better nutrition” by promoting safe food across wild and domestic meat value chains, and towards “better environment” by developing innovative approaches to improve practices, build capacities to reduce zoonotic risks and protect ecosystems.” The partnership is working with national and regional administrations, and over 80 local and indigenous communities, in 16 countries. The initiative is strengthening innovative and collaborative targeted approaches to conserve wild animals, protect ecosystems, and improve the livelihoods of those who depend on these resources. “Building scalable new models to conserve wildlife and improve food security takes time,” said Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG-INTPA), European Commission. “We need to further develop the models tested by the SWM Programme and to disseminate and scale up the Programme’s findings, results and approaches to achieve greater impacts. For this reason, the European Union seeks to provide additional funding to continue the SWM Programme until June 2029.” The new EU funding will be used to increase the impact and sustainability of the Programme by completing the models and sharing lesson learnt, tools and innovations at national, regional and international levels. The initiative will continue to work with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and regional organizations in Africa. The SWM Programme contributes to the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, which supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through a transition to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems that deliver improvements in production, nutrition, environment and livelihoods. The Programme also contributes to many international strategies and priorities, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the One Health approach, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)