Minister Paradis holds round table on delivering results for mothers and children in the world’s poorest countries
July 29, 2014 - Arnaud, Manitoba - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, participated in a round table hosted by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank that brought together Canadian farmers, local organizations and the private sector. The Minister had the opportunity to discuss Canada's leadership role to date and get feedback on what concrete actions Canada should take to improve global nutrition, a key pillar of the maternal, newborn and child health initiative, Canada’s top development priority.
After the round table, Minister Paradis announced new funding to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to support Innovative Approaches for the Prevention of Childhood Undernutrition, a project being implemented in Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso that seeks to prevent both chronic and acute undernutrition in children.
“The efforts of everyday Canadians, like those who give their time and energy to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, form the backbone of Canada’s resolve to eradicate global poverty and eliminate preventable deaths among women, newborns and children,” said Minister Paradis. “By continuing to work together we are getting closer to reaching that goal. We know that investing in nutrition is among the most cost-effective means of improving the health of women and children and I am proud to support a project that will inform and guide regional, national and global policies to scale up nutrition for young children.”
“For too long, there has been a disconnect between programs aimed at managing and treating acute undernutrition and those focused on the prevention of undernutrition in young children,” said Marie Ruel, Director, Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, IFPRI. “This project is unique in two ways: first, it is intended to bring together interventions to control and prevent both acute and chronic undernutrition, and second, it includes a strong research component that will make it possible to document the impacts and lessons learned for programming and policies to accelerate progress in achieving optimal child nutrition globally.”
The consultation focused on how to ensure that global commitments deliver real results to those I need while remaining accountable to Canadian taxpayers. Canada is committed to scaling up interventions that will have the greatest impact, in the areas of strengthening health systems, reducing the burden of disease, and improving nutrition. This meeting was part of the consultations announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the Saving Every Woman, Every Child: Within Arm’s Reach Summit, which took place in Toronto last May in Toronto.
Sandrine Périon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie
343-203-6238
sandrine.perion@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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