NEPAL NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PORTAL

The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Secretariat (SMS) Mission was held between 17-21 October 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. The objective of the mission was to formally establish Asia Regional Hub for the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement and brief all nutrition stakeholders and entities about the creation of the hub and have a dialogue for strengthened regional collaboration to support the countries in achieving their nutrition agenda.

The SUN Movement Delegates, Ms. Marcy Vigoda, Director, SUN Movement Secretariat (SMS), Ms. Sonia Ancellin-Panzani, Head of Country Action Team, and Mr. Srikanth Eadara, SMS Asia Regional Representative have participated in the mission. In addition, two government representatives from the Philippines and Nepal- Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang, Assistant Secretary and Executive Director- National Nutrition Council, Philippines, and Country SUN Focal Point, EXCOM Member representing South Asia and Pacific and Dr. Kiran Rupakhetee, Joint Secretary/Division Chief, Good Governance and Social Development Division, National Planning Commission- Nepal, SUN Country Coordinator and EXCOM Member representing South Asia and Pacific had attended the meeting.

As per the SUN strategy 3.0, five hubs (four geographical hubs and a thematic hub, the Convergence Hub) are intended to be established to better support the SUN countries to address the specific needs of the countries facing the humanitarian challenges. To this end, the regional Hub for Asia countries has been set up in Bangkok, Thailand, and will cover 11 countries and 4 Indian States[1]. Dr. Srikanth Eadara has been appointed as the Regional Representative for the Asia hub and will be working from Bangkok hosted by UNOPS Asia Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand.

The regionalization process was greatly appreciated by all regional nutrition stakeholders reassuring the mission of their full support to achieving institutionalizing nutrition in the SUN countries and working hand in hand with the Regional SMS Representative.

The support of the ExCom SUN Focal Points during this mission was instrumental in showing the country-led and country-driven approach in practice and starting the first exchanges with the Government of Thailand through the Ministry of Health. Both ExCom SUN FP highlighted the need for more UN agencies to be rallied around the National Multisectoral Nutrition Plans and for more investment in nutrition considering the multiple crises ongoing.

This process also enabled us to develop a way forward in terms of regional dynamics in Asia and have a first look at the Hub action plan which was initially considered helpful and quite exhaustive by the ExCom SUN FP.

Some Glimpse of Bangkok Mission: