The following online workshop series will be held by Grants-in Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) “Connectivity and Trust Building in Islamic Civilization” (Area Organizer: Hidemitsu KUROKI (ILCAA); 20H05823) and Publicly Offered Research of Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) “Food in Emergencies: Connectivity and Trust Building Being Challenged in the Middle East and North Africa” (Principal Investigator: Yuko Ido: 23H03929).

The Middle East and Africa continuously suffer from complex crises such as war, occupation, natural disasters, and food insecurity. Situating their regional contexts within global history, experts will explain the complexities behind the situations of each country from various perspectives.

【Details】
The workshop series will be held via Zoom on the following schedule.
*Admission Free, open to the public
**Pre-registration is required. For registration, please use the following link. (Zoom link will be sent after registering)　https://forms.gle/RqnU75g1wdoGP1vy6

　
【Program and Abstract】

Workshop Series 2024 Day 1:
Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024 13:30–15:00
Opening Address: Hidemitsu Kuroki (Area Organizer/ Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
Speaker: Manabu Shimizu (Representative, Eurasia Consultant Ltd.)
Title: “The foreign policy and agricultural technology of Israel: its growing high-tech and deployment of transnational capitalism”
Discussant: Ryoji Tateyama (Professor Emeritus, National Defense Academy of Japan)
Registration deadline: July 19, 2024 18:00

Abstract
One of the undercurrents of the Israel-Palestine conflict is the agricultural issues related to the distribution of water resources. However, water and food security has become increasingly important as a global issue. Israel has strategically emphasized the development of science and technology in their Zionism movements since the Mandate, and has sought their own agricultural technical system such as drip watering, bio, agro-industrial complex to overcome the limits of agricultural production in the arid land. Those outcomes fulfilled a function of diplomatic leverage with the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America etc. In the mid-1980s, the Israeli economy carried out a drastic structural reform from Zionist socialism to neo-liberalism and internationalization, which led to dynamic privatizations, global mergers and acquisitions, and monetary internationalization. Following the wave of digitization in the mid-1990s, through new developments such as growing high-tech and startup companies, the advanced ‘smartification’ of agricultural technology has been developed. This presentation will discuss the diplomatic role of Israeli technology including agriculture from global perspectives.

Workshop Series 2024 Day 2:
Date: Thursday, July 25, 2024 17:00-18:30
Speaker: Rawia Altaweel (Visiting professor, ILCAA/ Former officer, UNICEF)
Title: “Yemen’s Current Situation and the Houthis Intervention in the Red Sea ”
Discussant: Hiroshi Sato (President, Tokyo Institute for Development Sociology)
Registration deadline: July 24, 2024 18:00

Abstract
Presenting Yemen’s current internal context as the country has been struggling with political instability and socioeconomic deterioration since the Arab Spring popular uprising and the following takeover of the capital Sanaa in 2014 by the Houthis that triggered the Saudi-led coalition military campaign on Yemen from 2015 to date. Following that, exploring the Houthis intervention in the Red Sea as a reaction to the Israeli war on Gaza since October 2023; such interventions have significantly impacted international trade via Bab Al-Mandab, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

Workshop Series 2024 Day 3:
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024 15:00–16:30
Speaker: Akihiro Seita (Director of Health, UNRWA)
Discussant: Aiko Nishikida (Professor, Keio University)　
Title: “Protracted Gaza War and Humanitarian Crisis: Report from the Field”
Registration deadline: August 1, 2024 18:00

Abstract:
Though more than eight months have passed since October 7, 2023, a cease-fire agreement has not been reached in the Gaza war. The bombing and attacks continue across a wide area including hospitals and schools causing immense damage and casualties including civilians, medical workers, and journalists. On July 9, Israeli Defense Forces attacked the Headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the northern part of Gaza and Israeli military attacks and political pressure continues against UNRWA, which have provided lifelines to inhabitants in Gaza who have been forced to evacuate. In this workshop, the current situation in Gaza will be reported by Akihiro Seita, who has dealt with the medical and humanitarian aid in the local area as Director of Health of UNRWA for many years.

Contact:
Yuko Ido (Principal Investigator)
e-mail: menafoodemergency@gmail.com