Accra meeting discussed operationalizing the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition
Mutual accountability for achieving African nutrition commitments is of the essence
Accra, 18 October 2016 – Malnutrition in all its forms – from stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies to overweight/obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases – represents a significant barrier to equitable and sustainable social and economic development in Africa.
This was confirmed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) at a joint FAO/WHO side event at the 2016 Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems (ReSAKSS) Annual Conference themed “Achieving a Nutrition Revolution for Africa, the Road to Healthier Diets and Optimal Nutrition” (18-20 October in Accra).
The side event brought together some 100 participants from the African Union Commission, African Ministries of Agriculture, UN Agencies, USAID, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR), among others. It fostered better understanding of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition by providing the participants with latest information and offering an interactive platform for discussion on expectations and potential ways for engagement within the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)activities and with the African region as a whole.
“We are strongly committed to engaging in dialogue on the operationalization of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition in Africa and mutual accountability for achieving the joint nutrition commitments of ICN2, SDGs, and the Malabo Declaration by African leaders”, said Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Africa.
The African impact
The Decade offers the opportunity to mobilize increased efforts and commitment in Africa with renewed energy for joint actions towards eradicating hunger and preventing all forms of malnutrition affecting the continent, to foster country-specific commitments to advancing the global post ICN2 nutrition agenda by 2025, and to increase nutrition actions and investments as well as implement policies and programmes to improve food security and nutrition.
“Increasing acknowledgement of mutual accountability and effective multisectoral coordination remains critical for actions and results under the Malabo Declaration Implementation Strategy and Roadmap”, noticed Mohamed Ag Bendech, FAO Senior Nutrition Officer.
Participants agreed that there is a drive to translate the overall commitments of African leaders as well as the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063, the outcomes of the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) and the nutrition-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda into concrete actions in Africa, including the catalytic role of the Nutrition Capacity Development Initiative within the CAADP.
Nutrition is central to the African Union Agenda 2063 and its 10-year implementation plan. Through the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, and the Declaration on Nutrition Security for Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa, African leaders committed to ending hunger and reducing stunting to 10 percent and underweight to below five percent by 2025.
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