Akinwumi Adesina, Others Bag UN Appointment to Combat Malnutrition
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria and 21 other leaders have been selected by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to serve as members of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Lead Group, which is leading the charge against malnutrition in all of its manifestations.
Together with two Nigerians, Mr. Mansur Muhtar, vice president of the Islamic Development Bank, and Ms. Ndidi Nwuneli, executive chair of Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition, Mr. Adesina, who is presently the president of the African Development Bank, was appointed.
The SUN Movement, founded in 2010 by the outgoing Secretary-General, is still working to improve nutrition for all people, everywhere, under the direction of 22 leaders from around the world who have been chosen to serve as members of the SUN Movement Lead Group.
These well-known individuals were chosen by Mr. Guterres and are dedicated to promoting nutrition and leading the SUN Movement in its effort to end all types of malnutrition by 2030.
Nearly half of humanity—three billion people—cannot afford a balanced diet. And two-thirds of kids don’t have the variety in their diets that they require to thrive.
“Human development is impossible without healthy eating. For every child to be able to grow and develop to their greatest potential, they must have access to healthy nutrition.
“Unfortunately, more than one in ten people worldwide currently experience extreme food and nutrition insecurity.
“I think it’s more important than ever to take the strategy taken by the SUN Movement to combat malnutrition through a country-owned multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach.
According to a statement from Guterres, “These global leaders are supporting country-led activities to scale up nutrition and to deliver for girls, boys, and their families a world free from malnutrition by 2030.”
Representatives from the SUN Movement’s membership are included in the Lead Group for the SUN Movement.
This includes 16 United Nations agencies, 65 nations, four Indian states, over 4,000 civil society organizations, over 1,400 companies, as well as international financial institutions, donor governments, and philanthropies that support nutrition.
The SUN Movement is committed to collaborating and taking action on nutrition issues, including assisting nations in putting laws and policies into place that will give every child, adolescent, mother, and family access to a healthy food.
Through national ownership and leadership, the movement encourages players to work together for nutrition advocacy, investment, and coordinated action at the national level.
“Malnutrition is a serious hazard to children and one of the world’s leading causes of disease and mortality. If we don’t get back on track, conflicts, crises, COVID-19, and climate change all pose a threat to undo hard-won progress.
In order to encourage additional investment and action, the SUN Movement is trying to increase awareness of nutrition as a signpost and a force for sustainable development.
“I am eager to work with such leaders to reignite a global movement to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF and Chair of the SUN Movement Lead Group.
Afshan Khan, the coordinator of the SUN Movement, stated that despite numerous crises, the 65 SUN countries in the Movement have been working incredibly hard to put nutrition at the top of their national agendas.
“In order to ensure that malnutrition in all its forms is appropriately tackled, it is necessary to reinvest our leadership, resources, and collaborative action behind the national nutrition plans of SUN nations.
“I am confident that we can produce inspiring results by leveraging their expertise and authority.”
