Ethiopia Approves Final Phase of Seqota Declaration to Accelerate Fight Against Child Undernutrition

Addis Ababa, April 7, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia has approved the final phase of the Seqota Declaration implementation plan as part of intensified national efforts to end child undernutrition, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Truneh said.

The decision was made during a high-level virtual session convened to assess progress and advance key national priorities, including food system transformation, nutrition and food security commitments, health insurance expansion, and major public health initiatives.

The session also reviewed the performance of the first six months of the 2018 Ethiopian Fiscal Year plan, alongside ongoing programs such as the “Clean Ethiopia” national advocacy and reforms to the Health Extension Program.

Addressing the outcomes, Deputy PM Temesgen said, “Ensuring food and nutrition security is not merely a policy priority, it is a national imperative. It forms the foundation upon which a strong, productive society is built, and it remains essential to the realization of our country’s broader economic and social aspirations.”

He noted that the meeting endorsed the National Food System Transformation Roadmap at the federal level and issued directions for its full implementation. “We further issued clear direction to ensure that the roadmap’s priority actions are fully integrated into the plans and execution frameworks of sector ministries and regional bureaus, translating ambition into measurable progress,” he said.

Highlighting the renewed push under the Seqota Declaration, the Deputy Prime Minister said, “We approved the five-year implementation plan for the final phase (2019–2023 E.C.) of its 15-year roadmap and underscored the urgency of accelerating the reduction of stunting and other forms of malnutrition by scaling proven interventions and deepening community ownership and participation.”

On health financing, he stressed the need to strengthen implementation structures and expand coverage. “We reached a shared understanding of the need to strengthen implementation structures at the regional level and to move, where feasible within this fiscal year, toward the establishment of a federal risk pool,” he said, adding that community-based health insurance funds will be deposited in the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia alongside an additional bank designated by each region.

Deputy PM Temesgen also emphasized the importance of sustaining momentum in public health initiatives. “With respect to the ‘Clean Ethiopia’ initiative and the reform of the Health Extension Program, we affirmed that the five-year implementation roadmap must be pursued with renewed momentum, discipline, and leadership,” he said, noting the need for adequate budget allocations and strengthened resource mobilization at both federal and regional levels.

Underscoring the scale of the task ahead, he called for unity and sustained commitment. “The work ahead is significant, but so too is our resolve. With unity of purpose, disciplined execution, and the full engagement of our people, we will continue to move forward steadily and decisively toward a healthier, more resilient, and more prosperous Ethiopia,” Deputy PM Temesgen said.