What:The African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) presidential dinner in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Nutrition for Growth Summit

Who: African Union Commission, African Development Bank, Government of Lesotho           

When: 8 February 2020

Where: Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The African Development Bank (https://www.AfDB.org/), the African Union Commission, along with the government of Lesotho, will host a dinner for the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) on Saturday 8 February 2020, on the sidelines of the 33rd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The dinner is an opportunity for African leaders to draft recommendations for the Tokyo 2020 Nutrition for Growth Summit, which will be hosted in December 2020 by the government of Japan. The goal of the summit is to renew financial and policy commitments and accelerate the achievement of global and continental nutrition targets.

The African Leaders for Nutrition is an initiative endorsed by the African Union. It brings together heads of state, finance ministers and eminent leaders to raise awareness and reinforce investment by African governments to end malnutrition and promote good health among children.

The dinner is expected to:

• provide an update on the status of nutrition in Africa, including an overview of the progress made, lessons gained and a spotlight on impactful nutrition programs to be emulated. 
• develop a shared understanding on the preparations and expectations from the 2020 Nutrition for Growth Summit in Tokyo, Japan, positioning ALN as a platform for a united and structured agenda.
• share the vision by ALN champions and select heads of state and governments on efforts to address malnutrition in their respective countries, in preparation for the Nutrition for Growth Summit.
• prepare a preliminary communique based on proceedings from the dinner to inform the roadmap for the 2020 Nutrition for Growth Summit in Tokyo, Japan.

Media are invited to cover the event.