Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development organized today three panel discussions on climate change and ways to mitigate its impacts, in addition to environmental conservation and protection at the State of Kuwait’s pavilion in the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), currently held in Expo City Dubai, United Arab of Emirates.

 

The panel discussions were held in the blue zone section of Expo City Dubai in presence of Kuwait Fund’s Acting Director-General Mr. Waleed Shamlan Albahar, and with participation of a number of specialized experts, activists, and officials in environment, climate change, and sustainable development fields. The panel discussions were moderated by Deputy Director of Operations for International Organizations at Kuwait Fund Mr. Khaled Alkhaled.

During their discussion, the guest speakers shed a light on Kuwait Fund’s efforts and contributions to conserving and protecting the environment, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and achieving sustainable development goals through the multiple projects it co-financed in several developing nations.

Speakers in the first panel discussion, titled “Energy-Food-Water Nexus: Sustainable Solutions in the Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus”, included His Excellency Minister of Water and Environment in Yemen Eng. Tawfeek Al-Sharjabi, UN Assistant Secretary General, UNDP Assistant Administrator, Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States Mr. Abdullah Al-Dardari, and Desert Technologies Group’s CEO Mr. Khaled Al-Sharbatly.

The second panel discussion, titled “Sand and Dust Storms Mitigation: Between Theory and Implementation”, saw participation of Dr. Abdullah Al-Enezi, Director of Environmental Crisis Management for Decision Makers Program at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Dr. Ameera Al-Hasan, Head of UN Habitat’s Office in Kuwait and GCC states, Dr. Rawia Mahmoud, Assistant Director-General in the Department of Forestry and Desertification at the Ministry of Agriculture in Iraq, Mr. Ahmad Al-Baaj, Head of World Food Program’s Basra Office in Iraq, and Mr. Richard Jones, Science Fellow at the Meteorology Office in United Kingdom.

Participants in the third panel discussion, titled “Climate Action for Health: Evidence Building, Energy Transition, and System Resilience”, included Dr. Muna Al-Al-Khabbaz, Head of Environmental Health at the Health Ministry in Kuwait, Dr. Asaad Hafeez, World Health Organization Representative to Kuwait, Dr. Mazen Al-Malkawi, Advisor at World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Region Office, Dr. Ugochukwu Chigoziem Ikpeazu, External Relations and Resource Mobilization Officer at World Health Organization in Kuwait, and Mr. Salvatore Vinci, Advisor in Health Care Faculty and Electrification at World Health Organization.