Vice President Mutale Nalumango has held bilateral talks with the Vice President of Cote D’Ivoire Teimoko Meyliet Kone.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, Mrs Nalumango disclosed that shared with her counterpart on the ongoing high level dialogue forum on nutrition.
Mrs. Nalumango said that both realise the extent of challenges that that African continent continues to grapple with.
She noted the need for the two countries to take advantage of the Continental free trade by strengthening bilateral ties with where possible for more opportunities.
During the meeting, Mrs Nalumango also presented a gift to her counterpart.
This is on the sidelines of the ongoing high-level meeting on the theme of the African year nutrition, strengthening resilience in nutrition and food security on the African continent: strengthening agri-food systems, health and social protection systems for acceleration of development of human, social and economic capital.
Meanwhile, Vice President Mutale Nalumango has implored African Union member states to implement the commitments made towards food security and ending malnutrition on the continent.
Mrs. Nalumango says that it takes political will from different nations to implement sustainable solutions against malnutrition on the continent.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the official opening of the high-level meeting on the theme of the African year, nutrition, the Vice President added the need to have a mindset change towards the approach on eradicating malnutrition.
Stressing that that malnutrition is always associated to food hence the need to strengthen the agriculture sector in member states, she observed that even when Africa has fertile land, not much has been done mechanise making it attractive to citizens.
” Zambia has made agriculture a business so that many can benefit through becoming commercial farmers.
Addressing food security and nutrition in a multisectoral way, Mrs. Nalumango disclosed that Zambia has made education free for all.
” Government has further implemented a school feeding programme to ensure that children eat as they receive an education, ” she emphasised adding that: ” The type of food being given to children is locally produced nutritious food.”
She added the social cash transfer programme (SCT) that is helping vulnerable groups access the right food, while providing good sanitation and clean water.
And, King Letsie the third of Lesotho emphasized on the need for African Countries to prioritise implementation of the commitments.
King Letsie noted that nothing will change if the continent does not domestic financing and investment towards nutrition adding that Africa has the necessary resources to ensure nutrition is improved.
And the Host nation’s Prime Minister Patrich Achi called for unity among African countries if the issue of food security is to be addressed.
Mr. Achi said that the most affected are children and women who require assistance from the government and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Africa Development Bank Vice President Beth Dunfort said there is more that needs to be done if the continent is to address the challenged.
And Africa Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said malnutrition rates are still high with nearly 40 percent of the world’s stunted children and is expected to increase as a result of multiple crises
The meeting Looks very unfruitful