Assembly/AU/ /Decl.4(XXIII) Page 2 Acknowledging the current efforts being made by stakeholders such as: (i) coordination of efforts through the African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development (ATFFND) (ii) generation of evidence through the Cost of Hunger Study; (iii) Africa‟s Renewed Initiative for Stunting Elimination (ARISE 2025), a direct outcome of the COHA study; and (iv) nutrition advocacy initiatives by the African Nutrition Champion, His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho; WE hereby: 1. REAFFIRM our commitment to end hunger by 2025 through strengthening our development policies as an effective investment in the human capital of our countries; 2. COMMIT to ending child stunting bringing down stunting to 10% and underweight to 5% by 2025 and in particular, focusing on the first 1000 Days as the only window of opportunity during which permanent and irreversible physical and mental damage would be avoided; and COMMIT to positioning this goal as a high-level objective in national development plans and strategies, and to establish long-term targets that give all children equal chance for success, by eliminating the additional barriers imposed by child under-nutrition; 3. CALL UPON Member States, who have not yet done so, to consider participation in the study on the Cost of Hunger in Africa and REQUEST the Commission, UNECA, WFP, UNICEF and other Development Partners to expedite the successful completion of the study, including wide dissemination of the results at country and regional levels; 4. REQUEST the Commission, the REC and Development Partners to facilitate the establishment of a continental-wide mechanism to monitor progress towards the elimination of child under-nutrition in Africa; 5. COMMIT to continue the dialogue and strengthen advocacy efforts in support of improved nutrition including through supporting the AU Champion.