Nutrition tops the agenda of TICAD 7

The Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) made a strong pledge by Africa and Japan to invest in health in efforts to end infectious diseases, strengthen health systems and deliver universal health coverage. In the final Yokohama declaration, TICAD7 resolved to invest to reinforce primary health care and promote resilient health systems, including sustainable domestic financing through enhanced collaboration between health and finance authorities to increase domestic resources for health.

TICAD 2019 opened under the theme “Advancing development in Africa through people, technology and innovation”. Nutrition is acknowledged in the Declaration, and the Plan of Actions include improving nutritional status of 200 million African children under 5 by IFNA and other measures as well as hosting of the Tokyo Nutrition Summit 2020.

Nutrition improvement in all Africa through IFNA

SUN Movement Coordinator chaired this side event co-organized by IFNA (Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa) and NEPAD to present IFNA’s good practices/experiences and confirm commitment with all African countries towards improving the nutrition status of African people, especially of all 200 million children, with looking toward N4G Summit in 2020 and achieving global nutrition goals.

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“Impressed by TICAD7: strong leadership of Japan on the Agenda 2030 and collaboration in African countries and the African Union. The SUN Movement is very motivated to support making 2021 the African Year of #Food systems 4 nutrition and in fighting Climate Change”

Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary-General and SUN Movement Coordinator

New FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, was part and the panel and said that in their fight to end hunger and improve nutrition, African countries have the opportunity to tap into Japan’s knowledge of smart technologies, agricultural machinery and marketing, as well as from the East Asian nation’s high food safety and nutrition standards, and culture of healthy foods and diets.

“Fighting hunger and all forms of malnutrition is, and will continue to be, FAO’s main priority in Africa,” said Qu. FAO Director-General highlighted the need to address the various aspects of nutrition, which can lead to substantive socio-economic improvements, and for innovative approaches and new ideas with a focus on pro-poor and result-oriented actions.

The president of Madagascar,  Andry Rajoelina, emphasized that his country will not back down in the fight against malnutrition and food insecurity. “I swore to all my people that together we will stem the scourge of hunger and malnutrition. The President also The president also presented the general policy of the state to put an end to malnutrition in his country. The creation of national, regional and local structures dedicated to improving nutrition and monitoring the consumption and eating habits of the population. The establishment of an agricultural investment program and a rationalization of the agro-food sector.

“I swore to all my people that together we will stem the scourge of hunger and malnutrition”

Andry Rajoelina, President of Madagascar

Happening now: @NEPAD_Agency Initiative for Food & Nutrition Security (IFNA) Yokohama Declaration 2019 is now endorsed on the margins of @ticad7 by @NEPAD_Mayaki @SUN_Movement @FAO #TheAfricaWeWant pic.twitter.com/ERT6TUR3bk

— Fifie Rhoba MOALOSI (@Fifiesto) August 27, 2019

TICAD stands for Tokyo International Conference on African Development. The TICAD is an international conference led by the Japanese government and co-sponsored by the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Bank. After TICADs IV and V were successfully held in Yokohama in 2008 and 2013, TICAD came back to Yokohama, and TICAD 7 took place from August 28 through 30, 2019.