In late January, the African Union’s (AU) 22nd Heads of State Summit launched 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security. Through increased dialogue, innovations, and advocacy, the AU is seeking to make lasting advances in improving nutrition, ending hunger, increasing gender equality and creating jobs.
But those aren’t all the positive steps the AU is taking to accelerate poverty reduction.
In her speech to the Heads of State and Government, HE Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission envisioned the African continent in 2063. She said, “If I have to single out one issue that made peace happen, it was our commitment to invest in our people. … Coupled with our concerted campaigns to eradicate the major diseases, to provide access to health services, good nutrition, water and sanitation … our people indeed became and are our most important resource.”
We couldn’t agree more. The fight against neglected tropical diseases and other diseases is about much more than just ensuring good health. It’s about empowering individuals to live productively and engage in society – having the potential for a radical transformation that leads to growth of all kinds ahead.
It is remarkable, therefore, that at the Summit, the AU adopted the Continental Framework on the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Africa by 2020 called “Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa, the End is Possible.”
This is a tremendous momentum builder for efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) – which exacerbate the lack of food security and malnutrition – and reaffirms African leaders’ commitment to making NTDs a priority for Africa’s health and development agenda.
This key Framework was first discussed during the Sixth Conference of African Union Ministers of Health (CAMH6) held last year. This document echoes the World Health Organization’s goal to end NTDs as public health treats by 2020 and calls attention to the milestone London Declaration for NTDs.
Simply put, the Global Network is thrilled to see the AU’s leadership on NTDs. Controlling and eliminating NTDs by 2020 will not be possible without African country government ownership in expanding commitments to prioritize NTDs, mobilize resources, strengthen advocacy and coordination, collaborate with partners, and enhance monitoring and evaluation.