COP27: MoH, WHO Launch Initiative on Nutrition,Climate Change (I-CAN)

In collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Egypt’s Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO) launched a new initiative on nutrition and climate change, entitled: “I-CAN” during a high-level meeting on the sidelines of COP27.

The meeting took place on Saturday at the Blue Zone, in the presence of Dr Khaled AbdelGhaffar, H.E. Minister of Health, Egypt; and Naima Qasir, WHO Representative in Egypt, and Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director EMRO.

The main objectives of I-CAN are: connect actions to accelerate progress in both climate and nutrition, outline deliverables that will monitor progress in integrated action, facilitate the provision of technical and high-level support to Member states, provide practical examples of what all stakeholders can implement to advance integrated action, form what the convenors of this initiative will do to advance integrated action,  according to a statement recently issued by WHO.

"It will also aim to deliver technical and high-level support from parties, UN agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to focus on win-win policies and actions that work to reduce climate change and improve nutrition, particularly for children and vulnerable groups," the statement said.

"This new initiative would help reduce health and climate change costs by $1.3 trillion, " said Abdel Ghaffar.

Meanwhile, Qasir noted,"I-CAN will help foster collaboration to accelerate transformative action to address the critical nexus of climate change and nutrition."

The session also featured appearance by Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO; Dr Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director General, FAO; Dr Vijay Rangarajan, Director General, FCDO; Dr Yasmine Fouad, H.E. Minister of Environment, Egypt; Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health of Nigeria; Mariam Almheiri, Minister of climate change and environment of UAE; and Assistant Undersecretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment - UAE – Eissa AlHashemy.