Desertification top takes place amid fears that land degradation may increase forced displacement

From September 2 until September 13, the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) took place in India. “Restore land, sustain future” is the slogan of the conference. The UNCCD connects environmental and development issues to sustainable land management. The aim of COP14 is to discuss the problem of desertification and to develop actions to reduce the effects of drought in order to improve the lives of people that are affected by land degradation. However, as climate change is compounding the effects of land degradation, caused by events such as prolonged drought and excessive rainfall, it is feared that forced displacement may increase from areas that are hit particularly hard, such as the Horn of Africa.

News Highlights: Eritrea takes over Christian and Muslim secondary schools, Sudan forms Cabinet, Controversial Greek emergency plan announced

In this week’s news highlights: Eritrea shuts down schools run by religious institutions; Criticism on Eritrea peace deal excluding the people; Dutch vessel docked in Eritrean port Assab involved in Yemen war; Sudan forms new Cabinet; Podcasts to fight domestic violence in refugee camps; Rescue ships make port in Italy in spite of the ban; Greek government announces controversial emergency plan for migrants and refugees; Eritrean government celebrates 25 years of national service training in Norway; Trauma of refugees in Europe illustrated; Former Prime Minister of Australia praises anti-migration policies in Hungary; Rwanda offers space for 500 evacuees from Libyan detention centres; and UN Tweet about refugees exposes private details of a minor.