In the recently concluded fourty first ordinary session of Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) meeting in January 2021, the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire submitted a proposal to have the African Union (AU) theme for the Year 2022 dedicated to strengthening the fight against malnutrition in all its forms. The proposed theme will be submitted for endorsement to the Ministerial Committee on Agenda 2063 and later validated by Member States and the decisions further adopted through the AU policy organs.
The big question is why the focus on nutrition? The continent continues to face various forms of malnutrition and poor health. According to the findings arising from the Continental Nutrition Accountability Scorecard (2019), 36 percent translating to 56 million of children under the age of five are chronically undernourished, and 8.5 percent translating to 13 million are acutely undernourished in Africa. In addition, only Twenty (20) African countries have met the 70 percent threshold for Vitamin A supplementation which makes them vulnerable to infections and diseases and prevents them from developing fully. Good nutrition is the foundation of healthy development and is one of the best investments to boost the economic potential of families, communities and nations.
The African Union has continued to prioritize nutrition, dating way back to the Organization for African Unity (OAU), by putting in place key continental nutrition policy instruments and strategies like Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy 2015-2025, the 2014 Malabo Declaration, all within the framework of Agenda 2063 whose goal number one is set towards ensuring healthy and well-nourished citizens. The Commission is also leading key nutrition advocacy initiatives including; Cost of hunger in Africa (COHA) Study; African Leaders for Nutrition Initiatives; Continental Nutrition Accountability Scorecard advocacy through the African Nutrition Champion; African Day for Food and Nutrition Security; Africa Day for School Feeding among others.
Focusing on nutrition in 2022 offers an opportunity to strengthen commitments at the continental level to end malnutrition in all its forms. It is also an opportunity to secure greater commitment to nutrition investments and finance. The focus on nutrition will also provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy 2015-2025 and also the various sectoral strategies in relation to nutrition, in particular the Malabo Declaration targets.
The proposal to focus efforts on the fight against malnutrition in Africa demands multiple programmatic efforts such as; political and result-oriented commitments enhanced at continental and national levels to make it possible to build resilience in nutrition across the African continent. As a result, the commitments will sustain a strong political momentum on nutrition on the African continent, which is imperative, particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.
The political commitments will help to strengthen the commitments at the continental level in terms of domestic resources allocated to financing nutrition through the reinforced innovative financing solutions. Similarly, it is also imperative to strengthen the multisectoral collaboration for nutrition at national level which contributes to numerous health benefits, human and economic development.
Commitments at the continental level also aim to enhance public and private investments by strengthening government efforts for purposes of integrating nutrition in all the relevant sectors and plans. In addition, systemic change efforts towards improving nutrition requires are critical in ensuring that nutrition is integrated into resilient and strong health systems through universal health coverage
In the build-up to the year 2022 a series of nutrition related meetings will be held in 2021 including the Tokyo Nutrition Summit (N4G) and the United Nations Summit on food systems that will both opportunities to build a roadmap on how world tackles the global challenge of malnutrition.
Nutrition as a theme for the Year 2022 of the African Union is critical to the achievement of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
In the recently concluded fourty first ordinary session of Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) meeting in January 2021, the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire submitted a proposal to have the African Union (AU) theme for the Year 2022 dedicated to strengthening the fight against malnutrition in all its forms. The proposed theme will be submitted for endorsement to the Ministerial Committee on Agenda 2063 and later validated by Member States and the decisions further adopted through the AU policy organs.
The big question is why the focus on nutrition? The continent continues to face various forms of malnutrition and poor health. According to the findings arising from the Continental Nutrition Accountability Scorecard (2019), 36 percent translating to 56 million of children under the age of five are chronically undernourished, and 8.5 percent translating to 13 million are acutely undernourished in Africa. In addition, only Twenty (20) African countries have met the 70 percent threshold for Vitamin A supplementation which makes them vulnerable to infections and diseases and prevents them from developing fully. Good nutrition is the foundation of healthy development and is one of the best investments to boost the economic potential of families, communities and nations.
The African Union has continued to prioritize nutrition, dating way back to the Organization for African Unity (OAU), by putting in place key continental nutrition policy instruments and strategies like Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy 2015-2025, the 2014 Malabo Declaration, all within the framework of Agenda 2063 whose goal number one is set towards ensuring healthy and well-nourished citizens. The Commission is also leading key nutrition advocacy initiatives including; Cost of hunger in Africa (COHA) Study; African Leaders for Nutrition Initiatives; Continental Nutrition Accountability Scorecard advocacy through the African Nutrition Champion; African Day for Food and Nutrition Security; Africa Day for School Feeding among others.
Focusing on nutrition in 2022 offers an opportunity to strengthen commitments at the continental level to end malnutrition in all its forms. It is also an opportunity to secure greater commitment to nutrition investments and finance. The focus on nutrition will also provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy 2015-2025 and also the various sectoral strategies in relation to nutrition, in particular the Malabo Declaration targets.
The proposal to focus efforts on the fight against malnutrition in Africa demands multiple programmatic efforts such as; political and result-oriented commitments enhanced at continental and national levels to make it possible to build resilience in nutrition across the African continent. As a result, the commitments will sustain a strong political momentum on nutrition on the African continent, which is imperative, particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.
The political commitments will help to strengthen the commitments at the continental level in terms of domestic resources allocated to financing nutrition through the reinforced innovative financing solutions. Similarly, it is also imperative to strengthen the multisectoral collaboration for nutrition at national level which contributes to numerous health benefits, human and economic development.
Commitments at the continental level also aim to enhance public and private investments by strengthening government efforts for purposes of integrating nutrition in all the relevant sectors and plans. In addition, systemic change efforts towards improving nutrition requires are critical in ensuring that nutrition is integrated into resilient and strong health systems through universal health coverage
In the build-up to the year 2022 a series of nutrition related meetings will be held in 2021 including the Tokyo Nutrition Summit (N4G) and the United Nations Summit on food systems that will both opportunities to build a roadmap on how world tackles the global challenge of malnutrition.
Nutrition as a theme for the Year 2022 of the African Union is critical to the achievement of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
