Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Tuesday delivered a keynote address at the “Arab Forum for Sustainable Development” held at the United Nations House – ESCWA.

The forum, themed “Working for Sustainability and Peace’, brought together dignitaries and representatives from across the Arab world to discuss strategies for achieving long-term development goals amidst regional challenges.

In his speech, Mikati expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the event, highlighting Lebanon’s pride in hosting ESCWA. He commended Dr. Rola Dashti, the Executive Secretary of ESCWA, for her leadership in fostering constructive efforts towards development.

Mikati reiterated Lebanon’s historical role as a beacon of democracy, freedom, and coexistence, reaffirming the country’s commitment to serving as a model for the region despite facing ongoing crises and conflicts.

He stressed the importance of collaboration among nations to address pressing issues, emphasizing the need to integrate social justice
into sustainable development agendas to ensure equitable progress for all.

Mikati called for an end to Israeli aggression in southern Lebanon and Gaza, urging Israel to adhere to international resolutions and withdraw from occupied Lebanese territories in compliance with Resolution 1701.

Highlighting recent milestones, Mikati announced Lebanon’s submission of the final document outlining the national food system transformation pathway to the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Center. This marks a historic achievement for Lebanon and sets the stage for comprehensive collaboration in the realm of food security and sustainability.

Mikati also noted that Dr. Inaya Ezzeddine had presented a proposal for the Right to Food Law, aimed at guaranteeing access to food for all Lebanese citizens without discrimination, thereby contributing to social justice and aligning with the Sustainable Development Agenda.

In conclusion, Mikati expressed his appreciation to all participants and extended a warm welcome to Leb
anon for the esteemed guests, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to fostering peace, prosperity, and sustainable development in the region.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Children are dying of starvation in northern Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief said.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency’s visits over the weekend to the Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals were the first since early October.

In a post on social media, he spoke of “grim findings”.

A lack of food resulted in the deaths of 10 children and “severe levels of malnutrition”, while hospital buildings have been destroyed, he wrote.

The health ministry in Gaza reported that at least 15 children had died from malnutrition and dehydration at the Kamal Adwan hospital as the Israeli occupation forces continue to disallow humanitarian access to Gaza.

A sixteenth child died last Sunday at a hospital in the southern city of Rafah, the Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported.

Dr. Tedros reported “severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, hospital buildings destroyed” in northern Gaza, where an estimated 300,000 people
are living with little food or clean water.

The visits were the WHO’s first in months “despite our efforts to gain more regular access to the north of Gaza”, he added.

“The situation at Al-Awda Hospital is particularly appalling, as one of the buildings is destroyed,” he added.

The UN warned last week that famine in Gaza was “almost inevitable”.

A senior UN aid official warned that at least 576,000 people across the Gaza Strip – one quarter of the population – faced catastrophic levels of food insecurity and one in six children under the age of two in the north were suffering from acute malnutrition.

And the regional director of the UN’s children’s agency, Unicef, said “the child deaths we feared are here, as malnutrition ravages the Gaza Strip”.

“These tragic and horrific deaths are man-made, predictable and entirely preventable,” Adele Khodr said in a statement.

Source: Oman News Agency