Former UN YAG Member Appointed as Global Leader in Fight Against Malnutrition by UN Secretary-General

United Nations, New York, 1 June 2023 

Former UN Youth Advocacy Group Member and Technical Advisor at the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Mr. Pierre Cooke Jr., has been appointed as a global leader by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to spearhead the fight against malnutrition. As a member of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Lead Group, Pierre joins 21 other prominent figures dedicated to eradicating malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. With over 65 countries and various organizations involved, the SUN Movement aims to promote nutrition action and collaboration on a global scale.

The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, initiated in 2010 by the former Secretary-General, continues its drive to improve nutrition for all people, everywhere, with the stewardship of 22 appointed global leaders who are committed to fighting malnutrition in all its forms as members of the SUN Movement Lead Group.  

 

Appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, these prominent figures are committed to champion nutrition, and to steer the SUN Movement and its mission to eradicate malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. Some three billion people – almost half of all humanity – cannot afford a healthy diet. And two-thirds of children lack the diverse diets they need to thrive. 

 

“Without good nutrition, there is no human development. Every child needs to have access to nutritious and safe foods so they can grow and develop to their full potential. Unfortunately, today more than 1 in 10 people in the world are severely food and nutrition insecure”, said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

“I believe that the approach of the SUN Movement to tackle malnutrition through a country-owned multi-sectoral and multistakeholder approach is more crucial than ever before. These global leaders are championing country-led efforts to scale up nutrition and to deliver for girls, boys and their families a world free from malnutrition by 2030.” 

 

Members of the SUN Movement Lead Group include representatives from the membership of the SUN Movement, which includes 65 countries, 4 Indian states, more than 4,000 civil society organizations, more than 1,400 businesses (including small and medium enterprises), 16 United Nations agencies, international finance institutions and donor governments and philanthropies funding nutrition. Lead Group Members are listed below.  

 

The SUN Movement is dedicated to nutrition action and collaboration including helping countries to implement policies and legislation towards a systemic approach that provides every child, adolescent, mother and family access to a nutritious diet. The Movement promotes a holistic approach, where actors join forces for nutrition advocacy, investment and coordinated action at country level, through national ownership and leadership.

“Malnutrition is one of the leading causes of disease and death globally -- and a major threat to children. Conflicts, crises, COVID-19, and climate change all threaten to reverse hard-won gains if we don't get back on track. The SUN Movement is working to raise awareness of nutrition as both a marker and a driver of sustainable development -- and to spur new investment and action.  I look forward to working with these leaders to reignite a global movement to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030,”

said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director and Chair of the SUN Movement Lead Group. 

 

“The 65 SUN Countries in the Movement have been working tirelessly to keep nutrition high on their national agendas in the face of multiple crises” says Afshan Khan, the recently appointed SUN Movement  Coordinator “It is time to reinvest our leadership, resources and collective action behind SUN Countries’ national nutrition plans to ensure that malnutrition in all its forms is adequately addressed. I am confident that by leveraging their expertise and authority, we can deliver inspiring results.” 

 

SUN Movement Lead Group Members

🇳🇬 Mr. Akinwumi ADESINA, President, African Development Bank. Nigeria

🇦🇪 Ms. Mariam AMHEIRI, Minister of Climate Change and Environment. United Arab Emirates

🇸🇪 Ms. Inger ASHING, CEO, Save the Children International. Sweden

🇵🇭 Ms. Cherrie ATILANO, CEO and President, AGREA Agricultural Systems International, Inc. Philippines

🇺🇸 Ms. Cindy McCAIN, Executive Director, World Food Programme. United States of America

🇨🇲 Mr. Martin CHUNGONG, Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union. Cameroon

🇧🇧 Mr. Pierre COOKE Jr., Prime Minister, Barbados Youth Parliament, Technical Advisor, Healthy Caribbean Coalition. Barbados

🇦🇴 Ms. Josefa Leonel, CORREIA SACKO, Commissioner, Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union Commission. Angola

🇸🇻 Ms. Gabriela DE BUKELE, First Lady, Presidency of El Salvador. El Salvador

🇰🇪 Mr. Githinji GITAHI, CEO, AMREF Health Africa. Kenya

🇮🇪 Ms. Sophie HEALY-THOW, Global Youth Campaigns Coordinator, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. Ireland

🇳🇬 Mr. Mansur MUHTAR, Vice President, Islamic Development Bank. Nigeria

🇬🇧 Mr. David NABARRO, Strategic Director, 4SD, Special Envoy of WHO DG on COVID19, Co-lead, UN Global Crisis Response Group Foodstream. United Kingdom

🇵🇰 Ms. Sania NISHTAR, Member of Senate, President of Heartfile NGO. Pakistan

🇳🇬 Ms. Ndidi NWUNELI, Executive Chair, Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition. Nigeria

🇲🇽 Mr. Alfredo RIMOCH, CEO, Laboratorios Liomont. Mexico

🇺🇸 Ms. Catherine RUSSELL, Executive Director, UNICEF. United States of America

🇨🇦 Hon. Mr. Harjit SAJJAN, Minister of International Development & Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada. Canada

🇳🇱 Mr. Feike SIJBESMA, Honorary Chairman of Royal DSM. Netherlands

🇳🇴 Ms. Gunhlid STORDALEN, Founder and President, EAT Foundation. Norway

🇨🇴 Dr. Juan Pablo URIBE, Global Director for Health Nutrition and Population & Director of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF), World Bank. Colombia

🇫🇮 Ms. Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner for International Partnerships, European Commission. Finland

Ex-Officio Members

🇨🇦 Ms. Afshan KHAN, Coordinator of the SUN Movement. Canada

🇰🇪 Ms. Gladys MUGAMBI, Head Division of Family Health (Kenya) and SUN Movement Executive Committee Co-Chair

🇮🇪 Mr. Connell FOLEY, Director of Strategy, Advocacy and Learning (Concern) and SUN Movement Executive Committee Co-Chair

 More information available at: https://scalingupnutrition.org/about/who-we-are/sun-lead-group