In the company of officials from the United Nations (UN), the European Commission (EC) and international organizations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Goodwill Ambassador Michael Haddad completed an advocacy walk to promote collaboration to accelerate the transformation of food systems in the Arab States region in response to mounting challenges precipitated by climate change, conflicts and increasing vulnerability.

Paralyzed from the chest down at the age of six, and told that he could never walk again, Michael Haddad performed his odds-defying symbolic walk with the aid of a specially designed exoskeleton to keep him upright, using a pair of crutches to walk in the unique “step-to-gait” mechanism that he has devised. 

“Persons with disability are among the most negatively impacted by climate change and conflict, especially in the Arab States region,” said Haddad. “I am happy to support UNDP’s focus on leaving no one behind in its endeavour to expand collaboration on the issue of food security, which is more important than every today, across our region.”

The walk started from UN House, through the Brussels Royal Park, and ended with a courtesy meeting with Her Majesty Queen Mathilde, Queen of the Belgians, who is a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocate. 

After the walk, UNDP hosted a high-level roundtable on “Strengthening the Agrifood sector in Arab States: Enhancing resilience, food security, and sustainable development.” Organized in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), together with EU and European stakeholders, the roundtable explored avenues of strengthening partnerships between the EU and the Arab States region on transforming food systems.

“Amid prolonged conflicts, the Arab States region is also a global hotspot for climate change, which is degrading lands and increasing water scarcity. Food systems are consuming more energy across a region that is today the world’s most dependent on food imports,” emphasized Abdallah Al Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at UNDP. “Today’s roundtable provides an important opportunity to explore and draw on European successful policies, good practices and expertise in enhancing the productivity of agrifood systems, and to strengthen partnerships in this area.”

UNDP and ICARDA are combining the strengths of both organizations to address pressing challenges in food security, water management, and agricultural resilience in the Arab States region, including initiatives across countries of the region to create sustainable, scalable solutions that will benefit vulnerable communities, strengthen local economies, and contribute to the broader goal of sustainable development in the region.

The Walk in Brussels is part of UNDP Regional Goodwill Ambassador’s most arduous challenge that he intends to undertake in 2025 — to perform a 100-kilometres walk across the Arctic expanse of Svalbard, Norway to highlight the accelerating climate crisis and amplify UNDP’s call for urgent and scaled-up action to address it.