Addis Ababa — The Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) concluded today in Addis Ababa with renewed commitments towards transforming food systems for sustainable development.
Hosted by the Government of Ethiopia in partnership with Italy and the United Nations, this three-day summit provided a platform to evaluate both national and global initiatives since the first Food Systems Summit in 2021.
During the three day session, participants emphasized the urgent need to scale up investments, promote inclusive policies, and strengthen accountability mechanisms to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The summit featured high-level plenary sessions, expert dialogues, and country-led field visits showcasing Ethiopia's efforts in climate-smart agriculture, wheat production, food value chains, and agro-processing.
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In his closing remarks, the President of Ethiopia, Taye Atske Selassie said we are concluding this summit, with a renowned aspiration and hastened determination.
"We came here to take stock and we advance with a mandate for action at a time when the international challenges and the implementation of agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets are regressing by nearly 20 percent," President Taye underlined.
Moreover, he added that we have seen an unprecedented progress where individual countries have contributed to a decline in a global hunger with parallel gains in access to safe water, the conservation of the environment through green initiatives, social protection as well as infrastructure development in agro food industry.
However, the president added that "while we celebrate this progress, we shall ask ourselves the hardest and yet the most valid questions, how can in an age of cutting edge technology, we accept that over 2 billion people still cannot afford a healthy diet."
Therefore, he underlined the food system agenda is core for dignity, freedom and justice for humanity.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed on her part highlighted the importance of inclusion, innovation, and urgency in accelerating progress.
"This gathering has reminded us of the value of coming together as a global community, to benefit from the perspectives and the experiences of many others to shape the new bold action and take that with courage as we go forward."
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