The Justice, Peace and Development Commission (JPDC) of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) (SECAM.org) is urging the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) to take proactive measures to ensure that EU biodiversity conservation funds do not lead to mass land alienation and threaten the livelihoods and stability of indigenous and local communities on the continent.

As one of the partners that first launched the policy brief on “Protecting the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to Halt Biodiversity Loss (http://apo-opa.co/3XPyh9C)” on 12 September 2024, SECAM-JPDC reiterates the collective call for a new conservation paradigm that respects and protects the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, who are estimated as managing 80 per cent of the world’s remaining biodiversity.

In this Press Release, being relaunched on 17 September 2024 by SECAM-JPDC and its partners, CIDSE, the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR, Coventry University), the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), the Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organisation’s Forum (PINGOs Forum), the Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC) and others, would like to draw your attention to key recommendations outlined in the joint policy brief. These include:

Ending Exclusionary Conservation Models: The policy brief calls for the abandonment of “fortress conservation” approaches in favour of co-management models that empower Indigenous Peoples and local communities to protect biodiversity in partnership with global actors. This means avoiding any kind of displacement, promoting conservation approaches that integrate humans and nature and ensuring biodiversity finance is managed and monitored by local communities.
Securing Land Rights:  Protecting the right to land of Indigenous Peoples and local communities is paramount. The policy brief advocates for legal recognition and protection of the human right to land as a foundational element of effective biodiversity conservation, in light with UN Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP (http://apo-opa.co/47wvnK7)) and of the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP (http://apo-opa.co/47w28ab)).
Guaranteeing Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC): All biodiversity projects, especially those funded by the EU, must secure the FPIC of Indigenous Communities, in line with international human rights standards. Meaningful and active participation of local communities should also be ensured.
Redirecting Biodiversity Finance: The policy brief urges that biodiversity financing be redirected to support sustainable practices such as agroecology and pastoralism, which enhance biodiversity while safeguarding the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Pastoralism is a viable livelihood and land management system that does not receive adequate support.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact:
Simson Mwale
Programme Officer
SECAM-JPDC
Email: simsonmwale@yahoo.com

Contacts of Partner Organisations:

CIDSE
Jose Emmanuel Yap
Food and Land Policy Officer
CIDSE
Phone: +32 (0)2 233 37 53 
Email: yap@cidse.org
 
Centre for Agroecology Water and Resilience (CAWR) Coventry University:
Dr. Priscilla Claeys
Associate Professor 
Email: ac4203@coventry.ac.uk
 
Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA):
Kirubel Teshome
Communications Officer 
Email: kirubel.tadele@afsafrica.org

About the Organisations:

SECAM-JPDC (http://apo-opa.co/47x2X2h) is a SECAM Commission that supports the Catholic Church’s efforts in Africa to advocate for the interests of the poor and marginalized towards establishing more just, prosperous, transparent and peaceful African societies living in harmony with nature.
CIDSE (http://apo-opa.co/3XMX12e) is an international family of Catholic social justice organisations working together for global justice.
Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) (http://apo-opa.co/3TwscvW), Coventry University is a research centre dedicated to the development of resilient food and water systems through agroecology.
Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) (http://apo-opa.co/3XKaBDn) is a pan-African network of civil society organisations championing food sovereignty and agroecology in Africa.

On september 18th and 19th, the eighth edition of World Football Summit (WFS) (https://WorldFootballSummit.com) will mark the grand finale of its three-year stay in Sevilla and is expected to have an economic impact exceeding 20 million euros. More than 2,500 football industry experts will gather at the Sevilla Conference and Exhibition Center, Fibes, to discuss the most relevant topics, such as AI applied to sports and performance, the evolution of women’s football, and sustainability. Attendees will have the chance to discover the latest developments in this industry, which is expected to grow globally at an annual rate of 4.10% until 2027.

WFS has significant institutional and corporate support, including from the Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla City Office, LALIGA, Rexona, and GREAT (the British ICEX), as well as over 60 brands in the expo area showcasing the latest industry trends. More than 200 clubs, leagues, and international federations will be represented, including the CEO of the bid for the FIFA World Cup 2034 Organizing Committee, which will be held in Saudi Arabia, and representatives from the Spanish Football Federation who will provide details on the 2030 World Cup bid, Yalla Vamos.

Marian Otamendi, CEO of WFS, stated: “We are at a crucial moment for the football industry. This event is more than just a meeting; it is a platform to define and build a more inclusive, professional, and sustainable future for football. It will be our biggest event to date, and we have nothing but gratitude for the city of Sevilla and Andalucía, who have fully supported us, and with whom it has been a pleasure to work over the past three years.”

WFS will surpass the 34% mark of female speakers and will develop impactful actions around equality and inclusion, another pressing issue. Furthermore, a forest will be planted in the region to offset the event’s carbon footprint, highlighting its commitment to a greener future for football.

As in previous years, the event is expected to be a catalyst for job creation, sports tourism, and the visibility of Sevilla and Andalucía as ideal locations for foreign companies dedicated to sports innovation. The event will also serve as a platform to many promising startups, providing them with a platform to showcase their innovative solutions aimed at uncovering new business opportunities in the industry.

WFS Awards: A highlight will be the prestigious WFS Awards, presented by La Junta de Andalucía. These awards celebrate individuals and organizations driving innovation and growth within the football industry and their ability to generate social impact. Award winners include entities such as Real Madrid, Juventus, Parma Calcio, and figures like Fernando Carro, CEO of Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Opportunities for Media: A dedicated media zone will be available for interviewing and connecting with high-level representatives.

The impact of WFS was summed up by football legend Ronaldo Nazario: “It is an exclusive and very important event for the future development of football. The organization, content, debates – a spectacular event.”

Key Information about World Football Summit

WFS Europe will celebrate its 8th edition in 2024, and the 23rd World Football Summit event.
The event has facilitated millions in business deals since its inception.
WFS has a global community of over 125,000 football industry professionals.
Past speakers include legends like Ronaldo Nazario, Clarence Seedorf, and Samuel Eto’o, and prominent figures like Nobel Peace Prize winner Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Fatma Samoura, Peter Moore, and Sir Martin Sorrell.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from an impressive lineup of speakers, including Italian football legend Giorgio Chiellini, Hammad Albalawi (Head of the Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup™ 2034 bid), Maheta Molango, Chairman of the PFA and Toni Nadal, amongst many others. WFS Europe is proudly supported by key partners such as Turkish Airlines, Junta de Andalucía, The Football Business Academy, Scoreplay, Meltwater, Radisson Hotel Group, and LALIGA, with additional representation from leading brands and institutions like Deloitte, the British Embassy, and CaixaBank. The event will also welcome representatives from major football organizations and clubs, including the European Club Association, UEFA, Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, Real Betis Balompié, Liverpool FC, and Juventus Football Club, alongside hundreds of other influential entities.

WFS Europe truly embodies the convergence of the entire football industry ecosystem, offering unparalleled networking and insights for all attendees. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this groundbreaking event.

For more information about the WFS Awards and WFS Europe, please visit https://Europe.WorldFootballSummit.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit.

For press accreditation and media inquiries, please contact:
Jaime Dominguez
Communications Director, World Football Summit
press@worldfootballsummit.com

About World Football Summit:
World Football Summit is the premier international event for the football industry, gathering the most influential professionals in the game to address the industry’s most pressing issues and generate business opportunities.

The United States Government, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), came together for the kick-off match of the Ndondo Cup 2024 football tournament in Dodoma region to increase awareness and promote HIV and immunization services across the country.

This youth-focused sports initiative builds on the success of recent Ndondo Cup tournament in Dar es Salaam and Iringa regions, which led to increased uptake of critical HIV and immunization services, including HIV testing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, COVID-19, tetanus, human papillomavirus (HPV), measles and rubella vaccinations. The program currently operates in Dar es Salaam, Iringa, Mbeya, Mwanza and Dodoma with future activities planned in Ruvuma, Pwani, and Kagera.

“We are committed to pioneering innovative approaches that deliver tangible health outcomes,” said Moses Bateganya, USAID representative. “We believe that sports can be a powerful force for promoting behavior change and improving access to services, and we are thrilled to partner with the Ndondo Cup and the Government of Tanzania to bring this initiative to life.”

This innovative outreach initiative uses sports to connect with young and middle-aged men and women at both national and community level to talk about HIV prevention and immunization. Participants take part in meaningful discussions that help them better understand health risks, build confidence, promote positive health behaviors, and develop supportive community attitudes.

Funded by the United States government through the Breakthrough ACTION project, the initiative promotes positive health behaviors and encourages the use of health service uptake. By combining health messaging with the excitement of football, the program will inspire lasting changes in behavior.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

The UK government today has announced up to £1.9 million in funding to strengthen science, technology and innovation in Ghana and Nigeria through its West Africa Research and Innovation Hub.

The Sankore call for proposals will support the UK government’s partnership with governments in Ghana and Nigeria on Science, Technology and Innovation, facilitate commercialisation of innovative solutions, improve innovation policy and enhance government digital service delivery.

Named after a medieval centre of learning in West Africa, Sankore will support the implementation of the UK-Ghana Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy. It will promote collaborative work between universities, research centres and the private sector, and help turn new ideas into useful products for industry and support projects that fit with Ghana’s tech goals.

Launching a call for proposals at a press conference in Accra, Lord Collins, UK Minister for Africa, said:

This initiative is all about how we can work together to strengthen the global technology sector, creating opportunities for rapidly growing economies with lots of potential to compete on the world stage. The Sankore grant fosters partnerships at its heart, with a strong message that we go far when we go together.

Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford said:

Sankore will serve as a financing vehicle to catalyse the implementation of the UK-Ghana ST&I Strategy. This initiative is one of many initiatives the Ministry with the support of the UK Government intends to bridge the funding gap for Ghana’s Technological Innovation. We are happy to partner key actors in the innovation ecosystem to drive the economic transformation in Ghana through ST&I.

British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson added: > The launch of Sankore sends a clear message: the UK sees enormous value in partnering with African countries on science, technology and innovation, and we are committed to bringing those partnerships to life. This grant will further strengthen our existing partnerships on science, tech and innovation, in line with our joint the UK-Ghana ST&I Strategy.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.