Addis Ababa: The Memorandum of Understanding signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland is a win-win partnership that promotes regional peace and prosperity, Ethiopia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Samuel Isa said.

He delivered a statement at the Third South Summit of the Group of G77 and China, which was held in Kampala, Uganda, with the theme “leaving no one behind.”

In his address the Deputy Permanente Representative said South-South cooperation is becoming increasingly important in addressing complex challenges.

‘The growing importance of South-South and Triangular Cooperation in addressing the complex and interconnected challenges that developing countries face.’

Moreover, Samuel emphasized the group’s collective voice as transformational and transgenerational, adding that the current global architecture is neither inclusive nor participatory and needs to be reformed.

On the domestic front, he elaborated Ethiopia’s impressive achievements in all development areas, particularly agric
ultural transformation and food self-sufficiency through national wheat production initiatives.

With regards to fighting climate change, he highlighted the Green Legacy initiative and its remarkable achievements.

Wide-ranging domestic reforms implemented since 2018 that have resulted in significant progress were highlighted as the primary achievements of a global south country.

The Ambassador emphasized that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland complies with fundamental international laws, principles, and customs, including maritime law.

‘This purely economic agreement is intended to benefit the citizens of both parties, resulting in peaceful engagement, dialogue, and a win-win partnership that promotes regional peace and prosperity,’ he stated.

The summit concluded with the adoption of the 3rd South Summit Kampala Outcome Document.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Ghana NCD Alliance (GhNCDA) has urged the government to come out with a regulation relating to the implementation of front-of-pack labelling of salt content in food products to help reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

It said a voluntary global goal to reduce salt consumption by 30 per cent by 2025 has been set, and the World Health Organisation has selected this as the ‘best buy’ method to lower the long-term risk of stroke, coronary artery disease, and early mortality from NCDs.

‘International best practice policies, recommendations, and treatments have been designed with this goal in mind, but Ghana has not yet implemented such salt reduction policies. There is no regulation or policy relating to the implementation of front-of-pack labelling of salt content,’ it noted.

This was contained in a report on the National NCD Response and Landscape in Ghana developed by GhNCDA together with other civil society actors as part of their partnership with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.

I
t stated: ‘One in ten fatalities from cardiovascular disease is linked to excessive salt intake, which is a well-known primary risk factor for elevated blood pressure, and it also leads to cardiovascular-related disability and early death worldwide.’

The report called on the Ghana Education Service to bring back physical education into the educational system to reduce childhood obesity to save the lives of children in the country.

It noted that physical education was one of the curricula which in the past has helped in minimising the effect of obesity and NCDs among children.

It urged the government to make available adequate facilities to implement a whole-of-school programmes which would include quality physical activities.

Source: Ghana News Agency