FFD3: AU launches roadmap to enhance, promote nutrition in Africa

The African Union Commission launched on Monday July 13th the African Regional Nutrition Strategy (ARNS 2016-2025) a continental roadmap to enhance and promote nutrition in Africa. The strategy incorporates emerging nutrition concerns and sets clear targets, which includes the attainment of a 40 per cent reduction in stunting and a 5 per cent reduction in wasting among children under five years of age by 2025.

The commission organized a side event as part of the Third Finance for Development Conference here in Addis Abeba jointly with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF advocating an increased investment in nutrition in order to “end all forms of malnutrition” as articulated in the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 
Panelists representing the ECA, WFP, UNICEF and the Government of Mali emphasized that while gains made in the increase in budget allocation to nutrition security in Africa, accentuated the need to attain nutrition security, describing investment in nutrition as an important milestone in the development of the continent.