Natural Resource Management and Conflict in Refugee Emergencies

Abstract

This presentation will describe two different cross-border scenarios: the disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan and the Rohingya refugee crisis between Myanmar and Bangladesh. Despite the particularities of the two contexts, there remain a number of common characteristics as they are both remote rural border areas with limited infrastructures; there are low levels of resilience; forced migration as a result of conflict at political and community level; climate extremes and unequal access and mismanagement of natural resources. Examples from FAO interventions and policy implications will be explored. 

Speaker

Marco De Gaetano - FAO

Bio

Marco De Gaetano is an economist with 18 years of experience managing food security and rural development programs throughout East Africa, South America and South Asia. Following the completion of his Bachelor’s degree in Development Economics from the University of Naples Parthenope, he obtained a Master’s degree in Food Security and Rural Development from the University of Architecture in Venice. Marco worked as a Program Manager with several NGOs in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Paraguay, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru before returning to the University of Naples Parthenope in June 2016 to complete his Ph.D. in Economics. His Ph.D. thesis looked at the different agriculture systems coexisting in Peru and subsequent effects of land related factors on child labour in agriculture. In October 2015, he joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and has since worked for the Organization in South Sudan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Much of his work with FAO focuses on the design and implementation of rural livelihood programmes in protracted crisis areas as well as conflict mitigation over natural resources.