In his opening speech, Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, stressed the organization's interest in supporting the rural agricultural sectors and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and local governments in order to improve the agricultural sector and support farmers with all available efforts. While Dr. Hadi Hashem conveyed the greetings of the Minister to the participants in the workshop and his keenness to provide the necessary support that serves this important and vital sector. He also praised the successes achieved by the organization, especially the Nineveh project on livelihood support funded by the European Union and implemented in cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture “Nineveh Agriculture”. During the workshop, good practices and ways to serve the development of the livestock sector were discussed, in addition to preparation to implement a number of interventions that include capacity building for rural women, farmers and extension workers in livestock related activities. The FAO Senior International Livestock Expert, Dr. Chedly Kayouli and Eng: Hayder Nasser AlSammak, Chief Engineer (Nineveh Agriculture Directorate), gave presentations and detailed explanations of the successful interventions in Nineveh Governorate, which will be transferred and implemented, as they include improving animal nutrition through qualitative forage crops and utilization of local nutritional supplements that will increase local feed availability, in addition to improving the productivity and marketing of milk and dairy products. The International Livestock Expert, Dr. Chedly Kayouli, insisted that a participatory and similar approach will be applied in the two targeted governorates, with extension officers who will be supported by their Peers from Nineveh Project. Moreover, working teams were formed from the participants in the workshop to take field steps with the aim of reviewing the conditions of the farmers who will be targeted through the executive activities to determine their needs and move forward with implementing the steps that would support and assist these farmers and improve their capacity.  

This contribution, which amounts to €300,000, is critical for the continuation of psychosocial activities and assistance to UNITAD investigations. A substantial part of this contribution will allow UNITAD to broaden the implementation of its psychosocial capacity-building activities for Iraqi judicial and investigative authorities, and other relevant national entities with respect to support and sensitivity to the needs of victims and witnesses. The capacity building activities primarily focus on training to strengthen technical knowledge and skills, including access to clinical supervision and mentoring for staff who work on mental health and medical needs of survivors of ISIL crimes. Moreover, in support of the protection of vulnerable witnesses, UNITAD is committed to ensuring the psychological safety of victims, survivors and witnesses of ISIL crimes so that they can testify in an emotionally safe environment to reduce the risk of re-traumatization. The contribution would enable vital psychological support to be maintained to assist witnesses, while also enhancing the professional capacities of Iraqi mental health service providers who offer specialist aftercare to witnesses. "Finland values highly the work carried out by the UNITAD in helping bring ISIL perpetrators to justice. Promoting accountability is among the key priorities of the Finnish foreign policy. On this basis, we are very happy to support the witness protection work of the Investigative Team. Finland is a strong proponent of multilateralism and the rules based international order. We therefore look forward to deepening further our cooperation with the UNITAD, too,” says Ms. Kaija Suvanto, Director General of the Legal Service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Pursuant to UNITAD’s mandate, the Team will utilize this new funding by Finland to continue to support domestic efforts to hold ISIL accountable for international crimes committed by ISIL in Iraq, to the highest possible standards, to ensure the broadest possible use before national courts.

Erbil (November 17, 2021) -- Today, PepsiCo Inc and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced a new partnership to support farmers in Iraq impacted by conflict and climate change and help build a more sustainable agricultural supply chain in the region, particularly for potato crops. This partnership supports the Government of Iraq to reach its Zero Hunger goal as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A USD 250,000 grant from PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, will enable WFP to expand its ongoing resilience-building program in Iraq, ‘Food Assistance for Assets,’ that strives to help rural communities become self-reliant and withstand shocks such as climate change. The program has garnered support from high-ranking government officials in Iraq and the U.S.- Iraq Business Council. The collaboration will empower Iraqi smallholder farmers to establish reliable market linkages, gain access to much-needed finance, increase crop quality and yields, and progress towards internationally recognized food and safety standards for sustainable agriculture. Through PepsiCo Foundation’s support, WFP will provide farmers with training and technical expertise, and share agricultural best practices, such as the targeted use of irrigation and fertilizer. PepsiCo will purchase potatoes from the farmers to use in food production, helping build the farmers’ livelihoods. “We are honored to join hands with the World Food Programme to help support Iraq’s agricultural sector and build sustainable livelihoods, while contributing towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on Zero Hunger and a better and more sustainable future for all. This partnership is a great example of how the public and private sector can work together to address a pressing global issue – food insecurity – and will have a significant impact on tens of thousands in local communities,” said Wael Ismail, Vice President for Corporate Affairs, Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan as well as Sustainable Packaging Lead for Africa, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (AMESA). The partnership is part of PepsiCo’s positive (Pep+) agriculture strategy which focuses on regenerative farming practices and empowering farming communities to improve the livelihoods of more than 250,000 people in its agricultural supply chain, and sustainably source 100% of the company’s key ingredients by 2030. Over 32,000 of PepsiCo’s AMESA farmers are part of its Sustainable Farming Program focused on promoting responsible agricultural practices that can boost crop yields, improve farmer livelihoods, advance respect for human rights and protect the local environment and natural resources. “We welcome this new partnership with PepsiCo, especially now as the COVID-19 pandemic has had a grave impact on the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable communities. By sharing expertise and resources with WFP and communities in Iraq, PepsiCo is helping to build a more sustainable food system, providing solutions for vulnerable farmers to increase the productivity of their land, and improve their income through better market linkages – ultimately changing their lives,” said Ally-Raza Qureshi, WFP Iraq Representative. “Working together towards this common goal highlights the significant impact of private sector engagement in the region.” The PepsiCo Foundation has been a long-standing partner and supporter of the UN World Food Programme. Since 2006, the Foundation has supported WFP's mission and programs with more than USD 12.2 million in funding, including grants and employees’ donations. This program is part of ‘Food for Good,’ PepsiCo’s global commitment to advance food security in communities where the company operates, harnessing the power of collaboration with leading local partners.   ###   About PepsiCo PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com   About The PepsiCo Foundation Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water, and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.   About The United Nations World Food Programme The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.  We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. WFP has been present in Iraq since 1968 and is currently carrying out programmes in all 18 governorates of the country. Activities include food assistance to IDPs and refugees, resilience-building and livelihoods activities (Food for Assets and youth training through Empowerment in Action! – EMPACT), school feeding, and the digitalization of the Public Distribution System for food rations (PDS). WFP's Country Office is located in Baghdad, with Area/Field Offices in Baghdad, Erbil, Duhok, Sulaymaniyah and Basra.

This support will help ongoing investigative activities being conducted by UNITAD’s investigative unit that focuses on ISIL crimes that targeted the Christian community and will include investigations into the destruction of Christian cultural heritage between 2014 and 2017. Additionally, Hungary’s commitment to the UNITAD and to the people and government of Iraq will help UNITAD continue its work to deliver on its promise of justice and accountability for all communities in Iraq regardless of their faith or ethnicity. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary notes that “Hungary is committed to supporting multilateral efforts that aim to improve local livelihoods and foster sustainable development. In this regard, especially in conflict-affected regions, justice and accountability are essential pillars forming the backbone of long-term, peaceful development amongst communities. We therefore support UNITAD’s efforts in promoting justice and accountability for all, thereby aiming to heal divisions and foster partnerships on the local, regional and international level.”. UNITAD was established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2379 (2017) to support domestic efforts to hold ISIL accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by ISIL in Iraq, to the highest possible standards, to ensure the broadest possible use before national courts.