Vietnam Vows to Accelerate Poverty Reduction Efforts

The adoption of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition and the Framework for Action will serve as a direction for the sustainable development of agriculture, food and nutrition security in Vietnam , Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long has said. The Vietnamese government vows to step up poverty reduction efforts in the country, Long, who is also Vietnam’s permanent representative at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, told the second International Conference on Nutrition in Rome, Italy on November 19-21. Attendants shared view that nutrition security and poverty are posing challenges to many countries around the world, with around 805 million being hungry and 162 million children suffering malnutrition and stunted growth. About 2 billion are living with essential vitamin insufficiency while 42 million children and 500 million adults are obese and overweight. The declaration and framework was reached unanimously by roughly 200 countries after their consultations with social organisations and private sector globally. (vietnamplus.vn 23)