Belgium

Gaza, 17 January 2019 – UN-Habitat jointly with UN Women held a closing ceremony to celebrate with partners, beneficiaries and stakeholders the achievements of the two-year innovative programme that aimed to advance women’s and youth’s human rights and improve their participation in post- conflict reconstruction and recovery in the Gaza Strip

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 10 2019 (IPS) - In light of the millions of refugees escaping persecution in search of a safer, more prosperous future, a new campaign aims to raise awareness of the difficult journeys such populations take around the world.

Launched by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the 1 Billion Miles to Safety raises awareness of the long, precarious journeys that many refugees take and calls on the public to amp up support.

In 2018, Belgium earmarked 170 million euros for humanitarian aid. This amount went mainly to helping refugees and people in need in their own region. The most important contribution went to the humanitarian catastrophe in and around Syria. An increasing share is going to humanitarian innovation. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation made this announcement on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day.

by Monica Li

As its title might suggest, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was not supposed to be controversial. It is the first international framework to help countries achieve mutual goals on international migration, like combatting human trafficking or making sure that all migrants have adequate identity documents. It is impossible for any country to accomplish these tasks alone, making the establishment of an international cooperation framework all the more urgent.

18/12/2018

The Belgian Aliens Office has introduced a quota allowing no more than 50 people per day for registration of asylum seekers at the “Petit-Château” / “Klein Kasteeltje” in central Brussels, which serves as the new temporary registration location as of 3 December 2018.

The deadliest earthquake in more than a decade struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on 28 September, followed by a tsunami. The combination of natural hazards has killed around 2 100 people and caused extensive landslides, displacements and destruction.

La Belgique investira dans les prochaines années 43 millions d’euros en plus dans les droits des filles et des femmes à travers le monde. C’est ce qu’a annoncé le vice-Premier ministre et ministre de la Coopération au développement Alexander De Croo lors du concert caritatif international « Global Citizen Mandela 100 » qui s’est tenu à Johannesburg. Sur le podium, aux côtés du ministre De Croo, se sont succédé des chefs d’État et de gouvernement africains, et des vedettes du monde de la musique comme Chris Martin, Ed Sheeran, Usher, Pharrell Williams, Beyoncé et Jay-Z.

La Belgique va contribuer, dans les deux années à venir, à raison de 4,4 millions d’euros (5 millions de dollars US) à la lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées au travers du Projet spécial élargi pour l'Élimination des Maladies tropicales négligées (ESPEN pour Extended Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases). Ce projet de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé vise à maîtriser voire éliminer cinq maladies tropicales. La fondation Bill & Melinda Gates doublera la mise belge.

L’engagement multiple de la Belgique au Sahel, et au Mali en particulier, reste une des priorités de notre politique étrangère. Aujourd’hui, le Vice-Premier Ministre et Ministre des Affaires étrangères Didier Reynders a décidé d’allouer deux millions d’euros au Fonds Fiduciaire des Nations Unies pour la Paix et la Sécurité au Mali.

Despite harsh climatic conditions, Africa’s drylands support millions of people and contribute significantly to Kenya’s national economy, primarily through livestock products. However, these same areas are currently also bearing some of the heaviest burdens of climate change.

By Michael Heiman | Country Program Manager, APOPO Mine Action Cambodia

APOPO is now clearing minefields near Preah Vihear temple.

APOPO is delighted to announce support from the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that allows for the expansion of the Cambodia landmine clearance program into the province of Preah Vihear.

Syrian wheat farmers are facing serious challenges to sustain their livelihoods, despite the overall improved security situation in the country. Wheat production has been severely affected by the ongoing crisis, particularly in Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ez-Zor – two of the major wheat-producing governorates.

Overview

During the first nine months of 2018, just under 25,100 refugees were submitted by UNHCR for resettlement' to 19 countries in Europe.2 This is 24% less than the same period in 2017, but already two-thirds more than the average rate of 15,400 submissions per year during the previous 10 years.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo provides € 5,5 million extra humanitarian aid for Yemen. Minister De Croo takes this decision following the demand from UN emergency aid coordinator Mark Lowcock in the UN Security Council in New York yesterday. He called for a humanitarian truce and additional humanitarian aid for the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world.

26/10/2018

Low precipitation during the winter 2017–18 primary planting season caused severe drought throughout Afghanistan that continued during the spring and summer months. The shortage of rainfall has resulted in dry pasture, poor quality fodder, spread of livestock diseases and animal deaths, and a shortage of water for rainfed and irrigated agriculture.

August Development
- 391 refugees (114 families) were submitted for resettlement, of which 373 were from DRC, 18 from BDI, SOM and Sudan, and none from South Sudan.
- 328 refugees (85 families) departed to the USA (228), Norway (75) and Sweden (25).
- UNHCR facilitates 7 US missions (RSC pre-screening, CIS and Cultural orientation).
- Resettlement focal point staff have been trained on proGres V4 and an action plan to transition from proGres V3 to V4 has been established.

Objective :
Protéger la sécurité alimentaire, la nutrition et les revenus des ménages ciblés dans les zones transfrontalières, en protégeant leurs moyens de subsistance en prévision d’une aggravation de la sécheresse à travers le déstockage et la fourniture de services de santé animale et de semences fourragères.

The Government of Belgium has made an additional contribution of EUR 4 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to support its core educational services. This generous contribution was announced on 27 June at the UN General Assembly in New York and comes at a critical time for UNRWA, which is currently facing an unprecedented funding shortfall, threatening the ability of the Agency to sustain its core services including education.