Herve Gouyet is President of Electriciens sans frontieres
June 20, 2022
In many ways, humanity has been making tremendous progress over the past decade; people are richer, healthier, living longer, and are more connected and educated. Yet despite this progress, today, there are more refugees in the world than ever before.
At the end of 2020, there were over 26.4 million refugees in the world, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, or about 1 per cent of the world’s population.
Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their countries because of conflict, violence, persecution, human rights violations or climate change.
A confluence of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the acceleration of global climate change, have worsened the refugee crisis in the past two years.
The close link between climate change and rising numbers of displaced people is undeniable. A warming planet increases the risk of natural disasters that force people to flee and can create resource shortages that could spark tensions and even conflict, leading to more displacement.
Refugee camps are created by governments or organisations as temporary accommodations for refugees, designed to provide them with immediate aid and protection. Although they are intended to be temporary, the average time a refugee spends in a refugee camp has risen to more than 20 years.
More than 90 per cent of refugees living in camps have little or no access to electricity
Sometimes these camps become thriving communities, but most of the time, they become overcrowded spaces where refugees often live in a constant state of fear or insecurity.
Currently, more than 90 per cent of refugees living in camps have little or no access to electricity. Lack of power poses a challenge for cooking, keeping warm or studying, while women and girls especially face far greater safety risks in camps shrouded in darkness.
Electriciens Sans Frontieres is a France-based non-profit organisation solving electrification issues in emergency situations. We have been fighting since 1986 against the inequalities of access to electricity and water in the world.
Displaced people are among the world’s most vulnerable populations. Thus, they are the most critical group to support to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal, “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”.
This year’s theme for World Refugee Day – an international day that celebrates the strength and courage of refugees every June 20 – is: “Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety.”
Lack of lighting can have dangerous consequences, especially for women and children. We believe that providing refugee camps with reliable and clean electricity is one of the most important ways to improve refugees’ safety and overall well-being.
Bringing electricity to refugee camps is not only helpful to the people living within the camps but is also good for the planet. Living without power usually means more pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, since people resort to burning firewood or charcoal to meet their household needs. And refugee camps may also use polluting diesel-powered generators to keep the lights on.
To satisfy refugees’ energy needs while fighting against climate change, the use of renewable energies is crucial. Therefore, the projects carried out by Electriciens Sans Frontieres are focused on using the energy provided by the sun or by waterways and innovative public lighting solutions to enhance safety and energy security in the camps. We have been involved in the electrification of refugee camps in Somalia, Jordan, Bangladesh, the Dominican Republic, and in many other parts of the world.
We have a network of more than 1,200 volunteers and partner with local actors to promote economic and human development through renewable energies. We co-ordinate activities with national governments and other aid organisations to achieve the best outcomes for people affected by crises by putting forward solutions designed to assess and bolster the camps’ energy infrastructure with photovoltaics or other appropriate, low-carbon technologies.
The 2022 winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in Abu Dhabi in January. AP Photo
Our humanitarian efforts were recently rewarded by the Zayed Sustainability Prize, a global award that recognises excellence in sustainability. We won the 2020 prize in the energy category. This recognition has helped us further amplify our mission to provide the poorest communities with access to reliable and affordable clean energy.
Every year, the Zayed Sustainability Prize awards organisations that have deployed innovative solutions that improve communities’ access to energy, food, water and health care. The funding from the prize helps organisations such as ours scale their impact to reach a wider group of people in need.
Winning the prize also gave us the opportunity to work with Beyond2020, a humanitarian initiative launched by the prize in partnership with leading organisations, to deploy clean solar lighting solutions in a refugee camp in Bangladesh.
Through the "Light for the Rohingyas" project, we improved the living conditions of more than 8,000 Rohingyas who live in the refugee camps in Bangladesh. Providing sustainable and reliable power to refugees is an incredibly ambitious, but achievable goal. We believe the solution lies in achieving greater solidarity in addressing the energy needs of the displaced.
Through dedicated partnerships with organisations such as the Zayed Sustainability Prize, Electriciens Sans Frontieres can work effectively to meet the energy and safety needs of refugee populations around the world, supporting global efforts to close the energy gap while preserving the planet and its people.
ICC Intercontinental Cup
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (captain), Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Saqlain Haider, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Naveed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Boota, Amir Hayat, Ashfaq Ahmed
Fixtures Nov 29-Dec 2
UAE v Afghanistan, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India 1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
All matches in Bulawayo Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood. Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues. Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UK’s AI plan
AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
£10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
£100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
£250m to train new AI models
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
