France, Paris, March 27, 2025 – Malnutrition is one of the biggest threats to human development. It affects millions around the world, especially in regions facing the most severe effects of poverty, conflict and climate change. This is an area where the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is actively involved. This week, AKDN joins world leaders, policymakers and civil society organisations at the Nutrition for Nutrition (N4G) Summit to accelerate action and mobilizes funds for nutrition, a key driver of human and economic development.
It was organized by the French Ministry of Europe and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Paris Peace Forum, which is the founding partner of N4G Steering Group and AKDN. The summit will take place from March 27-28, following a 20-year tradition organized by the host nations of the latest Olympic and Paralympic games.
President Emmanuel Macron held a rally. There, stakeholders called for $27 billion in funds to tackle malnutrition. His Highness, Aga Khan, attended a high-level event hosted by President Macron on March 27th, reaffirming AKDN’s commitment to advances in nutrition and food security. Look at President Macron’s speech.
The summit focuses on three core areas essential to improving global nutrition: health and social protection, the transition to a sustainable food system, and the role of nutrition in building resilience in the crisis. It also promotes gender equality, data and innovation, and financial and accountability actions.
As part of our long-standing commitment to addressing malnutrition through an integrated, multi-sector approach, Akdn committed $45 million To nutrition and food systems.
Earlier in the week, a high-level side event explored strategies to embed nutrition into broader development efforts, fill the $13 billion annual funding gap and set measurable national goals. Representatives from AKDN contributed to the following important discussions:
March 24th: Session on “Vaccinations – Nutrition Integration: Enhancement of Health Systems for Sustainable Impacts.” Dr. Jahangir shared the results of AKDN’s integrated approach in northern Pakistan. This contributed to 96% of children’s full vaccinations (around the national average of 74%), reducing the growth halt rate to 18% (compared to the national average of 44%). Based on this model, AKDN expanded its commitment to underserved districts with low vaccination rates of 18% and acute malnutrition >25%.
March 27th: A strong foundation of nutrition, hosted by the OECD and hosting a panel by Matt Reed (CEO, Aga Khan Foundation UK) on charity for nutrition.
AKDN’s participation in N4G 2025 highlights its commitment to improving nutritional outcomes and addressing food insecurity as part of its broader work in climate resilience and sustainable development.
