UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed 27 global leaders from countries, organisations and the private sector, including Nepal's Prime Minister Babuaram Bhattarai to advance 'the strength and security of nations' in improving maternal and child nutrition.

According to a statement issued by the UN, UNSG Ban said the personalities would serve as strategic guides to the global movement, known as 'Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)', to boost nutrition among children.

'Never before have so many leaders, from so many countries and fields, agreed to work together to improve nutrition. The Scaling Up Nutrition Movement gives all of us, including the UN, an opportunity to support countries in their efforts to end hunger and malnutrition,' Ban was quoted as saying.

Members of the Lead Group included Armando Emílio Guebuza, President of Mozambique; Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania; Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh; and Nahas Angula, Prime Minister of Namibia.Others are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance of Nigeria; Nina Sardjunani, Deputy Minister of Development Planning of Indonesia; Nadine Heredia, First Lady of Peru; Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, Marie Pierre Allié, President, Médecins Sans Frontieres France; and Helene Gayle, President and CEO, CARE US.

Appointees from the development agencies comprise of Beverley Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, Canada; Andris Piebalgs, Commissioner for Development Cooperation, European Commission (EC); Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fishing, France; and Rajiv Shah, Administrator, US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Also on the group are Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, World Food Programme and Representative of the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition, and Ms. Tamar Manuelyan Atinc, Vice President, Human Development, World Bank.

The statement said the Group’s role is to ensure that the countries at the heart of the Movement are supported as they work to create tangible and sustainable improvements in nutrition.

'In addition to providing strategic oversight, the Lead Group will help to mobilize support and strengthen both coordination and accountability within the Movement," it said. nepalnews.com