Jordan – Jordan hosts Global Land Forum

Date: 23/05/2022

Location: Amman- Jordan

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:04:40

Sound: Natural

Source: A24 Amman

Restrictions: A24 Subscribers

Storyline:

Deputizing for Jordan’s King Abdullah, Agriculture Minister Khalid Hneifat on Monday inaugurated the ninth edition of Global Land Forum at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre in the Dead Sea region.

The Forum is being co-hosted by the International Earth Alliance and Jordan represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and the SEEDS Foundation, and in partnership with the European Union.

The gathering, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, has brought together more than 800 participants, speakers and experts representing 78 countries to discuss critical issues related to climate change, land rights, food systems agriculture, and other topics.

Jordan’s Princess Basma, member of the advisory council of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, told A24 News Agency that the wide participation in the forum reflects the increasing interest in issues of environment, and the threats facing people in terms of ecosystems and their impact on local communities.

She called for employing the forum’s recommendations to serve the fragile environment in the region.

Secretary-General of the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hiyari said the event aims at developing land governance to preserve humankind and resources.

European Union Ambassador Maria Hadjithudou Seo said the sustainable use and governance of land would also attract investments and create jobs in countries.

Shot list:

• Soundbite (Princess Basma Bint Talal – member of the advisory council of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration):

“The importance of this conference stems from the fact that it represents the whole world. More than 800 participants and speakers from 80 countries will attend the event. It reflects the increasing interest in the issues of the environment, and the threats we live in, in terms of ecosystems and their impact on local communities and all ways of life.”

• Soundbite (Khaled Al-Hanaifat – Jordanian Minister of Agriculture):

“I hope, through this forum, to employ the recommendations to serve the fragile environment in Jordan and the region, in addition to the political and tourism promotion of Jordan as a safe, secure, balanced, and fair country. In the coming days, there will be multiple working papers by experts and specialists from all countries of the world, and these papers will come up with recommendations that benefit us. We are among the water-poor countries, and we should not forget the use of technology which is a very important aspect. We should not forget food security and its connection to the unjust treatment of land by humans.”

• Soundbite (Muhammad Hiyari – Secretary-General of the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture):

“Jordan is hosting the ninth edition of the Global Land Forum, to develop land governance to preserve humankind and resources. We face many challenges in climate, land use, pastures and forests, and women’s participation. We note that Jordanian laws guarantee the rights of women to access the use of land.”

• Soundbite (Maria Hadjithudou Seo – European Union Ambassador):

“It’s the first one taking place in the MENA region and of course the European Union being a leader in addressing the challenges of climate change. We see the importance of this for this particular part of the world. Of course, sustainable use of land and governance of land use is very, very important elements, not only for the development of the country, but also for attracting investment in the country, and particularly more important, for creating job opportunities for the youth.”

• Soundbite (Michael Taylor – Director of the International Land Coalition):

“We need to change the way that we produce food to support small farmers who produce food sustainably, who feeds the planet with healthy foods. Let them be the ones who look after our planet and produce our food in ways which allow our planet to survive. So our message to COP 27 as the leaders of the world come to Egypt in a few months time to evaluate our progress towards dealing with the climate crisis.”