By Orlando Milesi
SANTIAGO, Apr 2 2024 – “I’m more optimistic than before” about the goal of ending hunger included in the 2030 agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean, said FAO regional representative Mario Lubetkin in an interview with IPS.

Lubetkin, who is also Assistant Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), warned that it is still difficult to achieve this goal, but expressed optimism about the awareness expressed by the leaders of 33 countries that participated in the organization’s 38th Regional Conference, held in the capital of Guyana.

At the meeting, which ended on Mar. 21, the governments agreed to emphasize the fight against hunger and improve agricultural management in the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The four FAO guidelines approved at the Georgetown conference are: more efficient, inclusive and sustainable production; ending hunger and achieving food security and nutrition; sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change; and reducing inequality and poverty and promoting resilience.

Solving the problem of hunger is a key element of international security and world peace, Lubetkin said during the interview at FAO’s regional headquarters in Santiago, Chile.

IPS: After the 38th Conference, are you more optimistic or pessimistic about achieving the zero hunger targets of the 2030 Agenda and in particular Sustainable Development Goal 2, zero hunger, for the region?

MARIO LUBETKIN: I still maintain that it is very difficult, but that is one part of the equation. The other part is whether I am optimistic about a state of increased awareness and action in Latin America and the Caribbean. Having heard what I heard and from that point of view I am more optimistic than before.

In how many electoral campaigns in the region last year and this year has the issue of no hunger and food security been addressed?… in many. And it was not an issue before.

Celac (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), the only structure for political dialogue among Latin American countries, approved at its last summit in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Mar. 1-2) a new 2024-2030 food and nutrition security plan. This is the way the region is contributing, by rethinking their plans and focusing them in a forceful and clear manner.

Celac does not easily approve issues by acclamation or consensus, but now it has done so and this means that food security is above any conflict or political ideology. This is a source of optimism.

And the Group of 20 (large industrial and emerging countries), the world governance bloc chaired today by Brazil, will launch a major alliance against hunger and poverty.

These are very strong signals to address an issue that has been dragging on for too many years. Today there is a greater level of awareness.

IPS: What is the state of affairs in the region in the fight against hunger?

ML: There are about 43 million people suffering from hunger and more than 130 million have difficulty putting food on the table.

We are talking about a region that was the only one to reduce the number of hungry people by more than three million.

This is a sign that should not be underestimated, since it was reduced because there were policies that are beginning to yield concrete results.

IPS: But the problem is still pressing….

ML: Indeed, we cannot say that with this reduction we are reversing trends. What we can say is that there is a glimmer of hope. But if it continues for a second year, we could say that we are getting closer to seeing a real trend.

Until 2014 there was a net trend of hunger reduction. Then it changed worldwide, including Latin America.

We have seen a situation in which we are coming out of COVID with all the effects that it generated: a regression to a scenario of 20 to 25 percent hungry people. These are very severe numbers that we have gradually been improving, returning to the pre-COVID scenario.

IPS: Moving toward a solution to the problem of hunger requires a very broad social consensus.

ML: Today we cannot assert that all this is going to be tackled by one country, or by an international organization or the private sector. No one on their own is going to solve this problem.

During the Conference, economic, environmental, educational, health and social development components were discussed. No food security is possible without the participation of all these elements, all the actors and all the technicians.

When we talk about the transformation of agrifood systems, we are talking about sustainable land, quality seeds, lines of credit, especially for family farmers, water management, foreign trade, social development policies, education and health.

IPS: You mentioned a “glimmer of hope” in the fight against hunger due to the reduction in the number of hungry people by three million.

ML: I would call for a replication of the same policies applied by governments during the COVID pandemic, when there was no international cooperation or dialogue between countries, but rather local spending efforts to solve a fundamental issue.

At that time, we turned to the basics of survival and there were two main goals: not to catch COVID and to go to the supermarket and not find empty shelves.

There was investment during that period by countries to avoid disaster, and development policies because the machine did not stop. Many presidents understand that they must be at the forefront of food security because it is essential for a country’s socioeconomic stability.

IPS: This region is a major food producer, but overweight and obesity are on the rise. There are severe problems due to the consumption of junk food.

ML: In terms of adults, the obesity figure is over 24 percent. But we have more dramatic statistics. Obesity among children under five years of age exceeds 8.7 percent. This figure means an enormous passive burden for governments, for the rest of these children’s lives.

Another alarming fact is that the cost of eating quality food on a daily basis is the most expensive in the world, even though this is a food-producing region. Here it costs an average of 4.08 dollars a day, while the global average is 3.66 dollars and in Africa the cost is 3.78 dollars.

The cost of quality food is a problem that the region has to be capable of tackling. Education is another aspect.

Of the world’s total food production, 13 percent comes from this region. But far less than 20 percent is exported within Latin America, and that is a serious sign.

Latin America has the capacity to produce food for more than 1.3 billion people, with a population half that size, which means we have a huge margin.

IPS: In Brazil, public purchases are made from family farmers to supply school meals. Can initiatives like this help to solve the problem?

ML: Without a doubt. One of the key elements is for local experiences to expand beyond the borders of the country.

These are aspects of enormous sensitivity because we are talking about 70 or 80 percent of farmers. Large producers do not need us, but small and family farmers do. In addition ….this is where one of the great battles between development and poverty is played out.

IPS: Has the scenario been complicated by armed conflicts?

ML: I am not talking about war, but about wars, which, although they are far away from us, produce economic effects and effects on agricultural production that weigh heavily.

And we have a conflict that is really severe in Haiti, where almost 50 percent of the population of eight million have difficulties feeding themselves.

IPS: Ending the hunger crisis is key to international security and world peace.

ML: No doubt…. it’s very simple: war does not solve the issue of hunger, it can only aggravate it. Only in a scenario of peace can the issue of food security be addressed.

Where there is war, not the most high-profile wars but the ones that fly under the radar like in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Somalia or Yemen, you can be sure that there will be no solution.

It can only happen in a scenario of peace, and if we are going to advance towards food security, it will be because we find ourselves in more positive scenarios, which is fundamental.

By Sudip Ranjan Basu, Hitomi Rankine & Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood
BANGKOK, Thailand, Apr 2 2024 – Stories of growing vulnerability make regular headlines across all Asian and Pacific small island developing States (SIDS). With tens of thousands of people displaced every year due to climate and disaster-related events, there are continued concerns about the costs of climate-related hazards.

For people in the communities, climate change, post-pandemic recovery and geopolitical tensions are raising the cost of living and slowing efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

With the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States to be held from 27-30 May in Antigua and Barbuda, the time is right to seize the opportunity to secure a future for the people of more than 20 countries and territories in the region considered as SIDS.

The acceleration of policy shifts to advance the development aspirations of the people and protect the planet are at the heart of sustainable development efforts.

Island futures at risk

The latest ESCAP assessments show that the Asia-Pacific region is regressing on Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action. Regional net zero emissions targets are also assessed as falling far short of the reductions needed to keep warming within 1.5 degrees.

At the same time, SIDS are facing the brunt of a climate emergency with some of the most exposed and vulnerable countries in the world.

Estimates show that Pacific SIDS have suffered the greatest economic losses from climate-related hazards, with average annual losses of up to 9 per cent of GDP between 2015 and 2020. ESCAP projects that Pacific SIDS will continue to face similar levels of annual losses as they bear the negative impacts of climate change.

New assessments also highlight that the Pacific SIDS are among the countries with the most significant losses in mangrove cover in the Asia-Pacific region. Degrading mangrove coverage reduces protection from surges and tides as sea level rises, and harms coastal fisheries.

The sense of urgency goes beyond socio-economic loss – it is an existential threat, as reflected in the 2023 Pacific Islands Forum Declaration on the Continuity of Statehood and Protection of Persons in the Face of Climate Change-Related Sea-Level Rise. This declaration was endorsed by all the Pacific leaders.

Championing SIDS priorities

As countries focus on SIDS priorities related to socio-economic resilience and sustainability, the options and sequencing of efforts need to be considered to guide the way forward. In the Pacific, the main priorities resonate well with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

There is some way to go towards such a vision. Investing in transformative adaptation now can mitigate future losses. Maintaining healthy oceans and ecosystems for the viability of island nations and communities will be vital for successful climate action.

Delivering on the SIDS’ ambition will require the international community to mobilize its technical resources and bring all governments together with key stakeholders to find the right solutions. New partnerships, as well as sound and timely data and agile finance options to power them, are needed. ESCAP is working with SIDS to support their aspirations.

The fundamental priorities for Pacific peoples are to stay in their homes, protect their traditional practices and cultural heritage, and maintain their identities. In this context, partnership, political commitment and solidarity led to the endorsement of The Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility by Pacific leaders in 2023.

This remarkable example of a collective regional commitment to be “future-ready” seeks to enhance people’s resilience and well-being by adopting a proactive and planned approach to climate-related human mobility.

This is also an example of ESCAP and other UN and regional partners including the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat working together to collectively support this Pacific regional initiative. This collective approach can be an inspiration for other SIDS to explore and adapt to their own country and regional contexts.

Social accountability measures are needed to overcome the considerable development challenges, promote effective development partnerships, strengthen governance and public service delivery, and empower citizens.

Engaging stakeholders in tracking progress towards the SDGs remains an important priority. With urbanization – an emerging trend across the Pacific SIDS – platforms such as the Pacific Urban Forum can promote localized climate action.

Strengthening policy coherence and institutional mechanisms at the national level helps mobilize resources and expertise. Technical assistance can increase the robustness of sectoral strategies and frameworks. Through the Risk and Resilience Portal, ESCAP has supported Maldives to downscale climate data to localize and analyse climate impact for critical sectors, and create the potential for extended risk analysis.

Better data and more transparent access to information and analytics will ensure that the right investments are made to mitigate climate risk. Effective development planning and coordination approaches are critical elements to deliver the next SIDS programme of action and to advance sustainable development.

What’s next for SIDS?

As SIDS take the next big steps in working to chart a course to resilient prosperity, new partners and networked collaboration are essential for mobilizing resources and sustainable capacity. South-South and triangular cooperation provide an important way – including for SIDS – to connect with other countries to help meet needs in ways that are tailored to local conditions.

South-South and triangular cooperation are important drivers of regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific and has resulted in increased volumes of South-South trade, foreign direct investment flows and technology transfer.

ESCAP is working with national entities responsible for international development cooperation to unlock the potential of sharing lessons learned, capacity development opportunities and technologies, and matching offers and demands for development cooperation assistance. Its newly-established South-South Cooperation Connector holds the potential to accelerate cooperation in support of a new future for Asia-Pacific SIDS.

The authors also acknowledge inputs from ESCAP’s Subregional Office for the Pacific; the Capacity Development and Partnerships Section; and the Disaster Risk Reduction Section.

IPS UN Bureau

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By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Apr 2 2024 – Faced with a continued cash flow crisis, the United Nations in Geneva (UNOG) will partially close down – for the second time since December last year— as it scales back its operations, including building closures, official travel restrictions, and budgetary cuts on spending.

The UN is studying plans to close the Palais des Nations beginning 22 April. Only conferences would run, but some of the offices would shut.

In the earlier cutbacks, some of the Geneva offices remained closed or partially closed from 20 December last year to 12 January 2024.

But the impending closures will not affect UN agencies—such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or the International Labour Organization (ILO), because they are funded separately.

The WHO gets its funding from two main sources: Member States paying their assessed contributions (countries’ membership dues), and voluntary contributions from Member States and other partners.

In 2023, according to Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General UNOG, the UN faced its worst financial shortfall in years, with the lowest dues collection in five years and only 142 Member States (out of 193) paying in full.

“This has resulted in a fragile financial outlook for 2024, severely impacting our operational capabilities”.

To address this, the United Nations Office at Geneva is tasked with reducing non-salary expenses by 42%, equating to savings of over 15 million USD, while preserving essential functions.

Starting April 22, UNOG will implement strategic cost-cutting measures to enhance efficiency and ensure sustainability

Ian Richards, an economist at the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and former President of the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations, told IPS the cost of late payments by member states is being pushed onto staff.

While intergovernmental meetings will continue almost unimpeded, staff are being asked to carry out their usual work without an office, he pointed out.

“There isn’t enough usable office space remaining, despite what is being affirmed. Staff will have to work from home for months at a time. Those living in cramped city centre flats may need to relocate elsewhere”.

“ I am not sure all of this has been thought through,” said Richards.

The UN offices affected by the cutbacks include the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)—and indirectly, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).

Further, the question is: why can’t the burden be shared? Why isn’t New York closed for a month, and then Vienna, Bangkok and Nairobi?, asked Richards.

The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) must save $15.5 million due to the liquidity crisis.

“We are going to do everything we can, without touching our fundamental mandate,” the director of the UN Information Service, Alessandra Vellucci, told the Keystone-ATS, a Swiss news agency last week. Each department has taken a number of decisions based on the efforts requested by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Asked for his response, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told IPS the UN in New York has no plans to close down. “ We mentioned our cost saving measures in January and those still apply.”

In an interview last February, Haq said that in order to ensure liquidity for paying staff salaries, certain difficult steps will be necessary. Hiring restrictions will need to be maintained during 2024, he said.

“Restrictions in non-post spending will also be critical to bridge the liquidity gap. As a result, until the situation improves, official travel will need to be limited to the most essential activities.”

“Purchases of goods and services will be postponed, unless absolutely critical. Hiring of consultants and experts will be minimized to the extent feasible”.

And most construction and maintenance projects will be suspended, except where the slowing down of major construction projects would result in significant future additional expenses.

“We will implement energy-saving and other measures to reduce utility bills and curtail expenses on managing facilities. Non-essential security expenses will also be curtailed, as long as they do not impact the safety of our premises, assets and of our personnel and delegates,” said Haq.

On building closures in Geneva, Richards said, staff are very concerned about this closure.

Studies and surveys show that for certain functions, hybrid work, which splits the week between office presence and work from home can have productivity benefits, without prejudice to being available to meet with member states as required.

“However, closing the office for an extended period will create problems. Many staff do not have homes that are equipped for long-term teleworking and for those staff they may need to relocate temporarily to their home countries, which will have knock-on effects”.

According to UNOG, some of the measures to address the UN liquidity crisis include the following:

Travel: Only operationally imperative travel shall be approved.

Procurement: All procurement is suspended unless operationally required (Canine Unit support, replacement of broken/lost equipment, etc.). The purchase of uniforms, flags, etc. shall be delayed.

Training: Only operationally imperative training will be conducted (e.g. Firearms, Use of Force, First Aid, etc.) with all external training involving costs to be suspended.

General Building Operations

Reduction in heating (20.5°C) and in the warmer seasons, reduction in cooling (26.0 °C).

Minimized outdoor lighting, except for that necessary for security and safety.

All equipment purchases or replacements will be stopped, except for operationally critical requirements, e.g., ICT equipment, building infrastructure equipment and other necessary supplies.

All overtime needs required to maintain the compound are under review with a potential shift to regular working hours, which could cause disturbances due to maintenance/work during regular working hours.

The summer season of the language classes will not be held as per past practice.

Meetings

Time slots of a standard three-hour duration within official working hours (from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) for meetings with conference services will be strictly applied (in line with General Assembly resolution 56/242, annex).

Mandated meetings have absolute priority. Nevertheless, servicing capacity is significantly restrained and may not suffice to support all mandated activities during peak periods as currently planned.

In order to manage within current limitations, no parallel meetings of the same body can be accommodated. Servicing of informal consultations or working meetings, or meetings of regional or other groups of Member States, will be accommodated strictly on an “if available” basis.

For non-calendar meetings without interpretation, use of virtual self-service platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams), and use of rooms without services will be available.

Any intergovernmental decision to implement a new mandate within existing budgetary resources will be subject to the availability of adequate cash resources and capacity.

Meetings must be confirmed or cancelled to the Meetings Management Section by 3 pm the Tuesday of the week prior to the scheduled start date, in line with the established practice. Late additions may not be accommodated while late cancellations would likely result in idling of conference servicing capacity or/and facilities.

The approved Geneva Calendar of Conferences and Meetings in 2024 has been carefully fine-tuned. Requests for changes of dates of the calendar sessions at this stage will not be favorably considered.

Audiovisual and meeting coverage services

All purchases or replacements of webcast and other audiovisual equipment will be stopped.

Limited or no coverage of some meetings, particularly of the Human Rights Council, when multiple concurrent meetings are taking place. UNIS may not be able to cover them all.

UNTV will operate with reduced core capacity. Webcast live streaming will be guaranteed on existing resources. There will, however, be no cue points, or “chapters”, (which are normally put in by the webcasters as the meeting is ongoing, and which contain speaker-by-speaker information associated with the relevant moments in the meeting video). Broadcast coverage will be extremely limited.

Reduced services to Member States and the media on the provision of audiovisual materials and support.

In particular, no photo service will be provided, including for the Human Rights Council. Videos may not be captioned, published or distributed to the requesting parties on the same day when there are multiple meetings/events occurring that day.

Library research assistance online and in-person will be temporarily reduced.

How long are these cost-saving measures expected to be in place?

Unless we get an influx of funds to cover the allocations in the budget, UNOG says, “we expect these measures to be implemented until the end of the year 2024.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

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By Nicholas Okumu
NAIROBI, Apr 2 2024 – Despite global childhood cancer mortality rates dropping by half over the past 50 years, these promising statistics do not extend to Africa and the Global South, where limited resources mean that most cancers are diagnosed at advanced stages.

Consequently, the region reports survival rates of as low as 15% for musculoskeletal sarcomas, a group of cancers that develop in the bones and soft tissues of the body, when it has spread to other areas of the body from the original location.

Worse still, the World Health Organization predicts a 60% rise in global cancer cases over the next two decades, with an 81% increase expected in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As a doctor specialising in the treatment of cancer, I am confronted daily with the realities of cancer care disparities.

Consider, additionally, that LMICs have historically concentrated their limited healthcare resources on combating infectious diseases and improving maternal and child health, which formed the bulk of the disease burden. This focus has left healthcare systems unprepared to confront the growing burden of cancer.

In 2019, over 90% of high-income countries reported comprehensive cancer treatment services readily available in their public health systems, compared to a mere 15% in low-income countries. This underscores the need for solutions that bridge the gap in cancer care quality

The infrastructure gap is undeniable. In 2019, over 90% of high-income countries reported comprehensive cancer treatment services readily available in their public health systems, compared to a mere 15% in low-income countries. This underscores the need for solutions that bridge the gap in cancer care quality.

Each patient’s story is a vivid illustration of the profound inequities in our global healthcare system.

Endowment funds offer a sustainable way to radically enhance cancer care in under-resourced regions. These funds are an investment portfolio that draws its initial capital from donations and thereafter—when managed effectively—becomes interminable.

The aim is to create a financial foundation that supports a wide array of initiatives, including research, treatment, training, and infrastructural development, making equitable, high-quality care a reality for all.

Examples can be drawn from the Aga Khan University Faculty of Health Sciences Endowment and the more famous Harvard Endowment. A large corpus of capital is invested, and the returns generated from that investment are then used to fund initiatives the endowment supports perpetually.

The Aga Khan endowment, valued at approximately USD 63 million (PKR 1,151,195,960), supports academic posts, student scholarships, research, and patient welfare, ensuring long-term financial security for the university.

Unlike project-based funding, endowment funds provide a steady income stream, ensuring long-term support for crucial healthcare initiatives.

This financial stability empowers healthcare institutions to develop a resilient healthcare ecosystem, addressing immediate needs such as awareness campaigns and long-term goals, including specialist training programs.

Additionally, endowment funds shift control from donor preferences to a targeted approach, as every dollar invested is directed towards initiatives with the most significant potential; therefore maximising the impact.

Furthermore, through careful investment strategies, the corpus of the fund can grow over time, creating a perpetual source of funding for sarcoma care.

This financial sustainability is particularly important for a chronic disease like sarcoma, where the need for funding is constant.
The Kenya Cancer Policy 2019-2030 outlines a comprehensive strategy to address cancer control in Kenya.

However, a significant funding gap of USD 399,991,000 over the next five years poses a challenge. Sarcomas represent approximately 5% of this funding requirement.

Therefore, a Kenya Sarcoma Trust is envisaged to fill the staggering funding gap, estimated at $19.9 million over the next five years or 3.9 million dollars annually.

By establishing an endowment fund of 39.4 million US dollars dedicated explicitly to sarcoma care and research, the trust aims to bridge the gap in sarcoma care experienced in Kenya.

This model can be a precedent for how niche healthcare areas can be sustainably funded, empowering healthcare institutions to enact systemic changes and improve patient outcomes. Endowment funds can be diversified to support a broader range of healthcare initiatives in the future, but for now, tackling the significant burden of sarcoma is a crucial first step.

Endowment funds represent a powerful form of innovative financing for healthcare in LMICs. They attract private sector investment and create a sustainable funding stream, aligning with recommendations from organisations urging increased private sector participation in health financing for these countries.

This will form a considerable part of their corporate social responsibility/shared value and provide a new avenue for funding development as traditional donors grapple with dwindling resources.

While endowment funds offer a promising solution, some concerns merit discussion. Establishing a large endowment fund requires a significant upfront investment.

However, alternative fundraising strategies can be explored, such as phased approaches or targeted campaigns for wealthy individuals and organisations. Additionally, concerns about management expertise can be addressed by partnering with experienced financial institutions with a proven track record in managing endowment funds.

The long-term nature of endowment funds shouldn’t overshadow their potential for immediate impact. Strategic allocation of initial investment returns and securing bridge funding through other means can address current needs.

Finally, ethical considerations regarding a focus on specific diseases can be mitigated by using a similar model for other neglected diseases.

Endowment funds can be diversified to support a broader range of healthcare initiatives.

Transparency and accountability in managing the endowment fund are crucial to ensure public trust and continued support. Regulatory frameworks in developing countries must be adapted to facilitate the creation and management of endowment funds.

A collaborative effort is essential to bridge the cancer care gap. Governments, private sector leaders, philanthropic organisations, and high-net-worth individuals must unite to support the creation of well-managed, transparent endowment funds dedicated to cancer care in LMICs.

This innovative financing approach promises to make quality cancer treatment accessible to all, irrespective of geography, marking a step towards making hope a universal reality in the battle against cancer.

Dr. Nicholas Okumu is an orthopedic surgeon heading the orthopedic oncology unit at the Kenyatta National Hospital and formerly the head of the department of orthopedics at the same institution. He is the CEO of Stratus Medical Imaging Solutions, a private health care provider in Nairobi. He is a 2024 Global Surgery Advocacy fellow.