September 25, 2019, New York; USA- Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission, H.E Amb. Josefa Sacko has been appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterre to the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Lead Group, to fight malnutrition.

Amb. Sacko is one of 27 prominent figures named as scaling up nutrition Lead Group Members from around the globe who have pledged to make sure nutrition is placed, and remains, at the top of the global agenda, and will provide inspiration and direction for the SUN Movement and its mission in eradicating malnutrition. The global leaders will support country-led efforts to scale up nutrition and to ensure a world free from malnutrition by 2030.

Members of the Lead Group are appointed until July 2021 and include several Vice Presidents of SUN member countries and other leaders and partners engaged in the SUN Movement including civil society, youth coalitions, international and United Nations organisations, donor agencies, businesses and foundations. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Lead Group held yesterday, Amb.

Sacko reiterated her and the AUC’s commitment to eradicating malnutrition in Africa. “The AU’s Malabo Declaration has set the ambitious task of eliminating hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2025, this is achievable,” she declared.

The SUN Movement was launched in 2010 by the UN Secretary-General and is led by governments and supported by over 3,000 civil society organisations, 500 businesses, five UN agencies and a group of international donors and foundations (the SUN Networks). They work together to scale up nutrition during the critical first 1,000 days from a mother’s pregnancy until her child’s second birthday.