Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA – Nutrition International pledged technical support to at least 30 African Union (AU) member states during a side event on the margins of the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 17-19 February 2023.  

Nutrition International was invited to share its 2021-22 Annual Report and reaffirm its support to AU member states in Africa during two side events. The first side event, Africa’s Nutrition and Food Security Status: Actions for Accelerating Nutrition and Food Security Progress for Attaining Africa’s Agenda 2063, aimed to take stock of progress made by AU member states to inspire commitments and actions by governments in tackling all forms of malnutrition. It also provided an opportunity for sharing key experiences and outcomes of the AU Year of Nutrition and Food Security. 

Dr. Richard Pendame, Regional Director for Nutrition International, Africa, presented key results from Nutrition International’s 2021-22 fiscal year and highlighted how, by partnering with governments and various institutions in Africa, the organization builds capacity, provides technical expertise, promotes resilience and ensures sustainable results. 

The second side event held on February 17 was co-hosted by the African Union, African Development Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the African Leaders for Nutrition Initiative and the Kingdom of Lesotho. Its theme was Progress and Achievements in Addressing Malnutrition in Africa: Accountability for results in achieving continental and global targets for nutrition. The Summit approved the implementation of the Year of Nutrition activities till 2025.

“Nutrition International commits to work with at least 30 AU member states to scale-up proven, low-cost-high-impact interventions to reach over 100 million people per year on the continent, focusing on under five children, adolescents, pregnant women and newborns.

—Dr. Richard Pendame, Regional Director for Africa, Nutrition International

Below is Dr. Pendame’s full speech and commitments made during the event:

Food security and nutrition security are distinct, but inextricably linked. Food security addresses hunger, while nutrition security ensures that the body, the brain and the immune system have the nutrients needed to develop fully; addressing both is imperative to ending malnutrition.

Nutrition International salutes the African Union for the increased political impetus towards addressing nutrition security by declaring 2022 the Africa Year of Nutrition.  During the Year of Nutrition, Nutrition International also marked its 30th anniversary, having reached one billion people in Africa and Asia with proven low-cost-high-impact nutrition interventions.
In keeping with this record of accomplishment, Nutrition International commits to work with at least 30 AU member states to scale-up proven, low-cost-high-impact interventions to reach over 100 million people per year on the continent, focusing on under five children, adolescents, pregnant women and newborns.

Through these interventions, we aim to avert over 100,000 deaths, 700,000 cases of stunting and, 48,000 cases of anaemia; while gaining four million IQ points and one additional year of education for 500,000 children, and over three billion dollars in economic benefits.

In addition, Nutrition International commits to provide technical assistance to national and sub-national governments and, regional organizations – including multilateral organizations – in the following three areas:

1. Advocacy for the prioritization of and financing for nutrition
2. Multisector nutrition planning, costing and resource tracking to ensure all relevant sectors of health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, social safety nets and gender have nutrition-smart interventions
3. Innovative nutrition financing mechanisms; that build on our successes in increasing domestic resource financing for nutrition; and developing a matching fund financing framework for sub-national governments in Kenya

Nutrition International is proud of its partnership with the African Union Commission. Over the next two years, we shall support the development of three continental strategies namely Nutrition Communication and Advocacy, Adolescent Nutrition, and Anaemia.

Nutrition International is dedicated to remaining a partner of the African Union and its member states. Together, we can stop malnutrition. We don’t have to wait for another group of decision makers, or a more convenient time.  If not us – then who? If not now- then when?

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