Issue 9 – October 2022 – Editorial

A publication of Young METO

by Tannaz Zafarani*

The Bright Side’s ninth issue is dedicated to the 27^th United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh between the 6^th to 18^th of November 2022. According to the World Bank, capital cities in the Middle East could face up to four months of exceptionally high temperatures, making it one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change. A successful COP27 would be a move towards greater human security across the Middle East and the globe. Around 90 heads of state have confirmed attendance alongside climate activists and civil society representatives. We hope that this year’s conferences will improve political will and reaffirm the international commitment towards targeting climate insecurity.

In line with this focus on climate change, the Middle East has seen exciting developments this month in environmental, food, and water security. Bahrain has achieved the second rank among Gulf countries for food security while Qatar is set to produce the novel Uniprotein in 2023, a sustainable and resource-efficient alternative to traditional protein. Meanwhile, in the renewable energy sector, Dubai is forecasting a $21.79b investment in renewable energy projects in the coming years. The region has seen further exciting developments in the past few weeks across healthcare, women, and education. The UN is providing Tunisian business women with training sessions and the Village of Hope association in Egypt is helping educate and socially rehabilitate disabled people. It would be fantastic to see this progress multiplying outward to create a brighter and more inclusive future for the Middle East. As always, The Bright Side team looks forward to bringing you more positive news about the region in the coming month.

Tannaz Zafarani is an MA student in International Relations at Durham University with current research interests in global refugee migrations and conflict prevention. Within METO, she analyses disarmament and conflict resolution in the Middle East. Tannaz holds a Bachelor’s in English Literature from the University of Birmingham, where her dissertation focused on identity formation and behaviour in 21st-century refugee literature. 

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Disclaimer

The articles selected for publication in this bulletin have been specially chosen in order to highlight the good work done every day across the region in order to improve the quality of life for citizens. It also highlights the advances in culture and the new archaelogical discoveries in the region, underlining that this region really has been a cradle of civilization for millenia.

The views expressed in the linked articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the Middle East Treaty Organization and their inclusion in our bulletin should not be interpreted in any way other than we think they’re interesting stories that should be more widely known. We will never intentionally include articles that promote or condone violence and discrimination in any form.

For any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact TheBrightSide@wmd-free.me.

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