SUN Movement announces new Executive Committee for 2024-2026

The SUN Movement Lead Group has appointed a new Executive Committee (ExCom) to steer the implementation of the Movement’s 3.0 strategy (2021-2025). The new ExCom, effective until July 2026, will play a pivotal role in supporting country leadership and coordinating resources from across the Movement to address national priorities. It will also be instrumental in the development of the next phase SUN 4.0 strategy.

The announcement comes in a period that presents critical opportunities to put good nutrition at the heart of the sustainable development agenda. Malnutrition holds countries, communities, and people back and is responsible for the persistence of unhealthy, underproductive societies around the world. It disproportionately affects women and youth and is a key factor in reduced productivity and ballooning health care costs. In humanitarian contexts it is an increasingly urgent concern.  

Afshan Khan, SUN Movement Coordinator and UN Assistant Secretary-General: “Despite our collective efforts, the global burden of malnutrition continues to have severe developmental, economic, social and health impacts for individuals, communities and countries. With the upcoming SUN Global Gathering, the Nutrition For Growth (N4G) Summit, and the imminent development of the SUN 4.0 strategy, we have significant work ahead to advance the nutrition agenda.” 

The new ExCom is a diverse group with strong country and network representation and global thematic expertise in nutrition financing, climate and nutrition, and humanitarian crisis settings. Reflecting the SUN Movement's commitment to country leadership, over two-thirds of the new members are from SUN Countries – a first for the Executive Committee. Additionally, a third of the previous Executive Committee members have been retained to ensure continuity and valuable institutional knowledge.

Following a revision of the ExCom Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure, aimed at simplifying processes and enhancing country leadership and regional integration, a public call for nominations was open from April 15 to May 17, 2024. A Full ExCom Renewal Committee, appointed by the Lead Group and including members Cherrie Atilano, Inger Ashing, Martin Chungong, and Sophie Healy-Thow, oversaw the selection process with the support of outgoing ExCom Co-Chairs and the Latin America and the Caribbean Representative.

Executive Committee composition term July 2024 to July 2026

Regional SUN Country Representation (SUN Focal Points)

• Dr. Patricia N’Goran-Theckly (Francophone Africa) – Advisor and National Coordinator of the National Council for Nutrition and Food, Ivory Coast.
• Dr. George Kembo (Anglophone Africa) – Director General, Food and Nutrition Council, Zimbabwe.
• Ms. Elisa Gamero (Latin America and Caribbean) – Chief of Health and Nutrition Projects, Office of the First Lady- Presidency of El Salvador, El Salvador.
• Dr. Nazeer Ahmed (Asia) – Chief of Nutrition, Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives, Pakistan.
• Dr. Mohamed Farah (Humanitarian Settings) – Special Adviser on Health and Nutrition, National Coordinator for SUN, Office of the Prime Minister, Federal Republic of Somalia.

Additional Regional, Sub-Regional, and National Representatives

• Dr. Shabina Raza – Country Director, Nutrition International, Pakistan.
• Ms. Kefilwe Moalosi – Senior Nutrition and Food Safety Programme Officer, AUDA-NEPAD, Botswana.
• Hon. Neema Lugangira – Member of Parliament, Tanzania.

SUN Network Representatives

• Mr. Aimé Kwizera (SUN Business Network) – Programme Lead, Nutrition Enterprise Unit, GAIN, Rwanda.
• Ms. Abigail Perry (UN-Nutrition) – Director of Nutrition, World Food Programme, United Kingdom.
• Ms. Christine Campeau (SUN Civil Society Network) – Global Policy Director - Food and Nutrition Systems, CARE, Canada.
• Mr. Neil Watkins (ad interim) (SUN Donor Network) – Deputy Director, Global Policy & Advocacy at Gates Foundation, U.S.A.

Thematic Experts

• Prof. Jessica Fanzo (Climate and Nutrition Expert) – Professor of Climate and Food, Columbia University, U.S.A.
• Ms. Kyoko Shibata Okamura (Finance Expert) – Senior Nutrition Specialist, World Bank, Japan.
• Dr. Said Shamsul Islam Shams (Humanitarian Expert) – Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition), WFP, Afghanistan.

Youth Seat

• Dr. Sibomana Florence – Senior Program Officer on NCDs, PATH, Rwanda.

Ex-Officio Members

• Ms. Afshan Khan – SUN Movement Coordinator, UN Assistant Secretary-General.
• Mr. Andrew Kirkwood – Director of UNOPS Geneva.

The ExCom will meet quarterly to discuss key matters as per its terms of reference and rules of procedure. The Co-Chairs will be selected during the first meeting, scheduled for Q3 2024. The seats vacated by the Co-Chairs will be filled by the runners up of the respective seats.

For more information about the SUN Movement Executive Committee, please contact Maria Pizzini (maria.pizzini@scalingupnutrition.org) or Paul Mazza (paul.mazza@scalingupnutrition.org). More details can be found here. For press enquiries please contact Toby Johnson (toby.johnson@scalingupnutrition.org).