African leaders urged to support UN to end poverty

African leaders have been urged to support efforts by the United Nations to achieve international agreed targets set for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Two.

Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation, an anti-corruption media advocacy gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani on Monday, to mark the World Food Day (WFD).

According to the UN General Assembly the SDGs Two is to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition as well as promote agriculture by 2030.

Mr Ahenu noted that many African countries continued to wallow in abject poverty because their leaders were always reluctant to easily make available funds to implement policies that could spur rapid economic growth and development.

He emphasized that until African leaders appreciated and supported the international community in policy implementation, development in the continent would continue to slow down.

Mr Ahenu observed that Africa was blessed with vast and fertile lands good for agriculture and the continent ought to implement resilient agriculture practices that increased food productivity and help maintained the eco-system as well.

Mr Ahenu emphasized the importance to build up the African Union (AU) so that African leaders could strengthen the capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters.

This, according to the Chief Executive Officer would help the continent to progressively improve land and soil quality for increased food production.

Mr Ahenu noted that pragmatic steps were required to address stunting malnutrition in children less than five years of age, and nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and older persons.

The WFD was established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s member countries at the Organization's 20th General Conference in November 1979.

It has since been observing the day every year in more than 150 countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger.