Preparatory Meeting on The Nutrition Forum with the Regional Nutrition Working Group
Dakar, 17 June 2019 - The ECOWAS Nutrition Forum has been organized since 1996, initially annually and then since 2004, biennially. The Forum has emerged as a major regional platform that brings together the 100-140 key stakeholders in nutrition to review progress in the reduction of malnutrition in the region. The 15th ECOWAS Forum was held in Bissau in October 2017 under the theme of nutrition surveillance. Liberia will be hosting the 16th Forum during the week of 18-22 November 2019.
On 17 June 2019, Dr William K Bosu, the Professional Officer for Non-epidemic and Neglected Tropical Diseases at the West African Health Organization (WAHO) met with the Regional Nutrition Working Group (RNWG) at the UNICEF West and Central African Regional Office in Dakar, to sensitize them on the preparations for the Monrovia Forum and to solicit their technical and financial support. The RNWG comprises the major United Nations agencies and international NGOs involved in nutrition in West Africa. Some of the RNWG members have been part of the International Planning Committee that WAHO collaborates with to organize the ECOWAS Nutrition Forum.
The meeting discussed the success factors of and the level of implementation of the recommendations from the Bissau 2017 Forum. The RNWG was enthusiastic about the objectives, draft agenda and the technical delivery methods of the Monrovia 2019 Forum which will be held under the theme “Adolescent nutrition: institutionalizing sustainable actions for improved outcomes in West Africa”. Besides country reports and panel discussions on various dimensions of adolescent nutrition, the Forum will present an opportunity to present the preliminary results from the Countdown 2030 Project, a UNICEF study on adolescent health and nutrition in the region and a regional perspective on adolescent nutrition research in the region by Transform Nutrition West Africa (IFPRI).. The meeting discussed the possibility of extending the duration of the Forum from three to four days to allow sufficient time for the voices of policy makers, programme officers, researchers, civil society organizations and partners to be well articulated during the Forum. The estimated funding gap for Forum was discussed which the RNWG members would review for potential support. To avoid duplication and to allow for efficiency, the financial partners of the RNWG would coordinate their funding flows with WAHO and with their Country Offices in Liberia. UNICEF is providing initial support for the hiring of a facilitator for the Forum within the framework of the RISING project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Regional Nutrition Working Group discussing the preparatory activities for the 16th ECOWAS Nutrition Forum