Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Accepted in Part
Integrate SDG2 as a cross-cutting issue across diplomatic activity, mandating reporting by heads of missions.
Recommendation
Beyond the Nutrition for Growth summit, we encourage the Government to see SDG2 as an issue of vital strategic importance to the UK’s national and international interests. Consequently, it should be adopted as a cross- cutting issue across diplomatic activity with heads of missions being made aware of its linkages and obliged to report on activity towards this goal as part of their internal reporting processes. Guidance should be given as part of the Zero Hunger delivery framework. (Recommendation, Paragraph 87)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to prioritize SDG2 as a cross-cutting issue within FCDO, committing to developing a roadmap for its Global Nutrition Integration Compact in 2025. However, it defers action on making it a broader cross-government priority, citing capacity limits and the ongoing spending review.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Agree. Making progress on SDG2 is crucial for our international and national interests, especially as malnutrition affects every country in the world, including the UK. In fragile contexts, food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition are exacerbated by and fuel conflict. We also recognise that progress against SDG2 is vital to making progress across many other SDGs and that as such, nutrition needs to be placed at the heart of sustainable development. Our continued efforts to integrate nutrition objectives across our ODA portfolio and the launch of the Global Nutrition Integration Compact at N4G Paris demonstrate our determination to make nutrition a cross-cutting development and diplomatic issue in the Department. Developing a roadmap to take forward the Global Nutrition Integration Compact and ensure tangible progress on the ground will be a priority for 2025. We already report on progress towards integrating nutrition objectives through the annual publication of our Nutrition Accountability Report and will consider how to report on progress with this recommendation as we refresh our priorities and overall development approach. We will continue to build capability and increase awareness on the links between food security, nutrition and wider development objectives across the Department as well as use our programmatic, influence and diplomatic tools to do so. However, positioning SDG2 as a cross-government priority goes beyond the capacity of relevant FCDO teams and is a matter for other Departments to consider. This will also depend on the outcome of the ongoing spending review and decisions on how to allocate our reduced ODA footprint across government.