The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region faces multiple challenges in meeting its food security and nutrition requirements. The number of undernourished people in the region has more than doubled since 1990, standing now at about 33 million people according to the UN Hunger Report 2014. On the other hand, obesity and overweight rates are increasing in an alarming way in all countries of the region.

Limited natural resources especially land and water, high population growth rates coupled with high unemployment and, rising urbanisation exacerbated by the impact of climate-change are few of the major challenges facing regional food and nutrition security. Conflict and protracted crises in many countries further complicate the issue. The region as a whole is already heavily dependent on international markets for food imports.

Acknowledging the urgency and scale of food security and nutrition challenges faced by the region, the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and the Secretariat of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in collaboration with WFP Regional Office today launched the 4^th Regional Multi-stakeholder Workshop Food Security and Nutrition, under the Patronage of H. E The Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Ensour.

The two-day workshop is a collaborative event that provides a platform where representatives of member countries, civil society, and private sector from across the NENA region engage in policy dialogue, and discuss mechanisms for convergence and greater coordination at the regional and national levels. 

“The fight against hunger cannot be won alone. Food insecurity and malnutrition in the world remains everybody’s problem. Gathering stakeholders to work together at national and regional levels can offer opportunities for the region to go further in its fight against hunger.” said by the Ambassador Gerda Verburg, Chair of CFS. “CFS is an inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for all stakeholders to work together on food security and nutrition” Gerda added. 

The workshop is supported and attended by the League of Arab States, members of the Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) Thematic Working Group on Food Security and Nutrition, representation from the governments of 14countries, and a wide range of stakeholders including UN Agencies, regional organizations, regional financial institutions, agricultural research institutions, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, and subject matter experts.

The workshop will discuss the uptake of policy guidance tools that were developed through multi-stakeholder consultations, such as those endorsed at a global level during the  last CFS Plenary in October 2014, including the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems, and policy recommendations on Food Losses and Waste in the Context of Sustainable Food Systems, as well as the Rome Declaration on Nutrition and Framework for Action developed at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) held in November 2014. The CFS Framework for Action for Food Security and Nutrition in Protracted Crises (FFA) which is currently being developed for endorsement by CFS 42^nd plenary in October 2015 is also on the agenda.

To support the strategic efforts of member countries in Reducing Food Losses and Waste in the NENA region, FAO will host a side event on April 30^th to launch a Regional Food Loss and Waste Network for knowledge, information, and experience exchange.

“Food security and nutrition challenges in the region continue to be a source of concern for policy makers. Regional collaborative efforts are gaining momentum and countries in the region are strengthening their efforts to achieve food security, despite and beyond the current situation.” Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for the North Africa and the Near East, stated.

FAO and the CFS Secretariat will prepare a workshop report with a list of next steps and recommendations. These will be taken up in regional policy dialogue processes.