Addis Ababa, 24 June 2013 (ECA) – The UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Mr. Carlos Lopes is scheduled to address a conference on ways to stem hunger in Africa at the weekend in Addis Ababa.
The High Level Meeting on Renewed Partnership for a Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa which opens at the headquarters of the African Union Commission on Sunday 30 June 2013 is jointly convened by the African Union Commission (AUC), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Lula Institute.
It is expected to commit to a set of principles, policies and strategies to resolve the endemic problem of hunger in Africa by 2025. The policies and strategies are expected to build on, and feed into the national and regional Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Programme (CAADP) and other Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans.
The opening session will be chaired by Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, and addressed by Mr. Carlos Lopes, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ECA; Mr. José Graziano da Silva Director General of FAO; and Madame Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. The current Chairperson of the African Union, Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn, and Prime Minister of Ethiopia will open the high-level session on Monday 1 July 2013.
The meeting will also brainstorm on ways to support African countries, their governments and organized civil society organizations to incorporate successful experiences from other countries and regions.
A declaration is expected at the end of the meeting on Monday 1 July 2013 expressing political commitment to promote and unify African and international efforts to fight hunger, share technology, boost the resilience of rural communities, rebuild rural livelihoods, and to work towards food security for urban populations.
A pre-event press conference is scheduled for today Monday, 24 June 2013. It will be addressed by Messrs Wondirad Mandefro, State Minister of Agriculture of Ethiopia; Madame Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, AU Commission; Dr. Modibo Traore, Sub regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa.
The renewed partnership is intended to identify political, economic, social and human factors that lead to sustainable improvements in inclusive growth, food security and nutritional outcomes.
It will provide value addition to ongoing initiatives and programmes by harnessing sustained political commitment and creating the required momentum for a wider engagement of other agencies, national and international.
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