ASSEMBLY OF THE UNION THIRTIETH ORDINARY SESSION 28-29 JANUARY 2018 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA Concept Note Breakfast Meeting for the Launch of the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) Initiative ADDRESSING THE COST OF HUNGER IN AFRICA: A CALL FOR BOLD LEADERSHIP MONDAY, 29 TH JANUARY 2018 Page 1 of 5
INTRODUCTION The African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government, during the 23 rd Ordinary Session, held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from 26 to 27 June 2014, adopted the Declaration on Nutrition Security for Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa [Assembly/AU/Decl.4 (XXIII)]. The Heads of State committed to continue the dialogue and strengthen advocacy efforts in support of improved nutrition, including supporting the AU Champion. Malnutrition (over and under nutrition) is undermining Africa s economic progress. Mindful of various on-going initiatives, the need to ensure synergy at the highest level of Heads of State and Government for advocacy and accountability on nutrition security, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) propose setting up the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) Initiative. The initiative is pursuant to the implementation of the commitments of the Declaration on Nutrition Security for Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa, as well as in line with the African Union s Agenda 2063. Under-nutrition, particularly childhood stunting (low height for age), is currently recognized as a major determinant and an outcome of Africa s socio-economic development. Despite growing commitment and leadership in the past two decades, progress in addressing malnutrition in Africa has been slow. In 2016, the absolute number of stunted children in Africa reached 59 million, an increase of 17% since 2000 (UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates, 2017 dataset). This is evidenced by the results of the Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) Study, which associates childhood stunting to child morbidity and mortality, reduced educational achievement, limited economic productivity and loss in gross domestic product (GDP) 1. Thus, a reduction in the number of stunted children is a demonstration of improvement in the social capital of African countries. The COHA Study has been concluded and the report was launched in the following countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Rwanda, Swaziland, and Uganda. The study has also been concluded in Mali, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe and preparations are underway to similarly launch the respective reports in these three countries. The study surveyed 15 countries across the continent. Botswana, Cameroon, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, and South Sudan, are expressing interest to conduct the COHA study. In view of the above, the January 2018 30 th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union provides an opportunity to formally endorse the ALN Initiative by the African Heads of State and build on the growing commitment to nutrition. This call will include but not be limited to leadership, governance and investments for improved nutrition which was made by leaders in April 2016, as well as the ongoing work of the AU Nutrition Champion, His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho. It also provides an opportunity to sustain and further strengthen the commitments of Heads of State and Government to nutrition as a developmental issue that contributes to inclusive economic growth. At the same time, the call continues to rally the global community around the Nutrition for Growth efforts which focusses on strengthening political and financial commitments to nutrition. 1 The Cost of Hunger in Africa Study (COHA). Department of Social Affairs, African Union Commission. 2011. Page 2 of 5
The ALN Initiative will mobilize political and financial resources critical to reducing the deaths of approximately 45 percent of children under the age of 5 due to malnutrition. This percentage is equivalent to almost three million lives per year. The cost of malnutrition on African economies is between 3 and 16 percent of GDP annually. It is imperative that Africa invests in combatting under-nutrition, considering that the return on every dollar invested is 16 percent. The endorsement of the ALN Initiative will underscore the existing cohesive support for nutrition advancement across the continent, with the highest level of national commitment. OBJECTIVES A one-hour breakfast event is proposed on Monday, 29 th January 2018 on the margins of the 30 th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union. The objectives are: To share the experience of the COHA studies and the link with ALN; To present the ALN Initiative as the political leaders initiative to overcome all forms of malnutrition on the continent; To strengthen the dialogue between the ALN Champions and the other Heads of State, and to advocate for new commitments on nutrition that have the potential to deliver a wide range of economic, health and social returns. EXPECTED OUTCOMES An African Union decision on ALN that will focus on: Endorsement of the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) Initiative by the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission. This will establish the political leader s initiative to overcome all forms of malnutrition on the continent and elevate nutrition related matters on the continental and global political agenda as a driver for economic growth and sustainable development in Africa. Recommendation to the ALN to establish dialogue with African Leaders for new financial and policy commitments on Nutrition to deliver the socio economic, and health returns. VENUE TIME & DATE The Event will be a formal launch, which will take place at the Multipurpose Hall, of the AUC as a breakfast meeting from 8.00 am to 9.00 am on Monday 29 th January 2018. PARTICIPANTS The following Heads of States and Eminent Personalities will participate: Heads of State invited as ALN Champions: - His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho, and African Union Nutrition Champion; - His Excellency President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, Burkina Faso; - His Excellency President Alassane Ouattara, Cote d Ivoire; - His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya; - His Excellency President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, Madagascar; - Her Excellency President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius; Page 3 of 5
- His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria; - His Excellency President Paul Kagame, Rwanda; - His Excellency President Macky Sall, Senegal. Heads of State of the COHA countries - His Excellency President Idriss Déby, Chad; - His Excellency President Joseph Kabila, Democratic Republic of Congo; - His Excellency President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, Egypt; - His Excellency Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopia; - His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana; - His Excellency President José Mário Vaz, Guinea Bissau; - His Excellency President Peter Mutharika, Malawi; - His Excellency President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Mali; - His Excellency President Filipe Nyusi, Mozambique; - His Excellency President Salva Kiir, South Sudan; - His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, Uganda. The Eminent Members of the ALN including: o President, African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina; o Chairperson, African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat; o Former President of Ghana, Co-Chair, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition President John Kufuor; o Co-Chair and Trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates; o Former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan; o Former First Lady of South Africa, Founder of Graça Machel Trust, Graça Machel; o President of the World Food Prize Foundation,Ambassador Quinn; o President of the Rockefeller Foundation, Rajiv Shah; o Chairman and CEO, Dangote Group, Founder of Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote; o Chair and President, Big Win Philanthropy, Jamie Cooper; o Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization, José Graziano Da Silva; o Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Amira Elfadil; o Her Excellency Roman Tesfaye, First Lady of Ethiopia. Other Participants to be invited are: o Other national government officials including Ministers attending the AU Assembly, particularly the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Finance of Ethiopia o Members of Parliaments o Leaders of regional bodies/initiatives o Development agencies representatives o Private sector representatives o Civil society o Representatives from Media Houses o Global and Continental Philanthropists and Foundations. Participation is by invitation only. MEDIA A communication plan for this event will include: Page 4 of 5
Media Advisory/Invitation one week prior to the event and a Media Advisory/Invitation the day before the event may also be included. Social media campaign during the event: tweet speech quotes/images, encourage participants to use #AfricanLeaders4Nutrition, #ALN, #ALNBreakfast or similar hash tag. Video/webcasting, photography and a press release. Press Release following the event. The media activities will be prepared under the supervision of the AUC and AfDB. POST-LAUNCH ACTIVITIES In the short term, following the official launch of the ALN, the below activities will be critical to ensure the achievement of the ALN initiative objectives: Operationalize the ALN Secretariat. Establish a working plan of action of the ALN validated by an Advisory Committee. This action plan should be closely linked to the roll out of the Bank s Multi-sectoral Nutrition Action Plan. Follow up on the validated action plan ALN during the Bank s Annual Meetings in Busan. Page 5 of 5