FAO, WAHO sign new Cooperation Agreement to accelerate progress in food and nutrition security
With priority on health development through One Health approach
25 April 2017, Accra - The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) have strengthened their collaboration to support common visions of health development, nutrition and food security in the ECOWAS region.
Building on years of successful cooperation, the two organizations signed a Cooperation Agreement on the sidelines of the WAHO Forum on Public Private Partnership in Accra, aimed at stepping up their joint efforts to support surveillance of risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases.
On behalf of the FAO Director-General, Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, signed the Cooperation Agreement with Xavier CRESPIN, WAHO Director General.
“This partnership will enhance operational research focusing on reducing the incidence of non-communicable disease-related morbidity and promote good dietary behavior”, said Tijani.
“FAO and WAHO are resolved to accelerate the progress to achieve food and nutrition security, using local food systems of the West African region through programme implementation and research; and also to tackle problems pertaining to public health, animal health and the environment in West Africa through One Health approach”, he added.
On his part, Dr. Xavier Crespin, WAHO Director General, welcomed the agreement, saying, “both parties would look at new aspect of antimicrobial resistance which was common in both humans and animals, and as well chart the path to address the problem since lives were involved”.
“There is a global call for the One Health approach, and there is a need for WAHO and FAO to continue partnering as well as other country partners to ensure that the health approach works”, Crespin noted.
Stepping up the joint effort
A similar Partnership Framework signed between the FAO Subregional Office for West Africa and ECOWAS in November 2012 provides for preparation, negotiation and approval of sectoral protocols on cooperation between FAO and ECOWAS institutions.
WAHO and FAO have the common objective to pool their respective expertise and resources, in the framework of this agreement and taking cognizance of the Partnership Framework to undertake the implementation of joint actions in health and food, and advocate for improved food composition and preparation methods of local foods, processed foods and foods sold in workplaces, schools and public places.
FAO reiterated its main goals of eradicating hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition as well as eliminating poverty.