Hunger and displacement: views and solutions from the field

In March 2017 the Food Security Information Network sounded the alarm globally to call the attention to a looming famine putting the lives of twenty million people at risk across four conflict and drought affected countries: Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Northern Nigeria, reaching into the countries around the Lake Chad Basin.  It has been labelled the “four famines” and FSIN warns that this unprecedented food crisis could be the worst humanitarian disaster since the establishment of the UN in 1945.

Action Against Hunger and the Danish Refugee Council are both assisting people in the affected countries and first-hand witnesses the linkages between hunger and displacement, and the catastrophic human consequences. We are now joining efforts and are pleased to invite you to our conference, which takes as point of departure the nutrition crises, to raise awareness on the links between food insecurity and displacements, exacerbated by conflicts and humanitarian access challenges.

Opening speeches by Véronique Andrieux (CEO Action Against Hunger) and Christian Friis Bach (SG Danish Refugee Council).

Panel 1: How the lack of access to food can lead to displacement? The case of Somalia

•          Ana Beatriz Martins - EEAS, Deputy Head of Division, Horn of Africa, East Africa and Indian Ocean Division
•          Hajir Maalim - Action Against Hunger Regional Director of Operations Horn of Africa
•          Heather Amstutz - Danish Refugee Council Regional Director for West Africa and Yemen
•          Louisa Seferis – Danish Refugee Council Global Cash Advisor
•          H.E. Ajay Kumar Bramdeo  - African Union Ambassador of the Permanent Mission to the EU TBC
•          Moderator - James Kanter (Journalist New York Times)

Panel 2: How do humanitarian actors understand and respond to food insecurity in displacement? The case of Lake Chad Basin

•          Androulla Kaminara - DG ECHO, Director Africa, Asia, Latin America, Caribbean and Pacific,
•          Isabelle Robin - Action Against Hunger Regional Director of Operations for Central Africa
•          Chris Natale - Danish Refugee Council West Africa Programme and Operations Coordinator
•          Arif Husain - WFP Chief Economist and Deputy Director Policy Programme and Innovation or Yvonne Forsen – WFP Head of VAM and Nutrition
•          Moderator - James Kanter (Journalist New York Times)

Closing speeches: “Recommendations to EU decision makers” by Véronique Andrieux (CEO Action Against Hunger) and Rikke Friis (International Director Danish Refugee Council).

Please RSVP by filling in the registration form: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hunger-and-displacement-views-and-solutions-from-the-field-tickets-38432451497

For any questions or to request more information, please contact: mtempesta@actioncontrelafaim.org or birte.schorpion@drc.dk.