Nigerian Vice-President Kashim Shettima arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday ahead of the second United Nations Food Systems Summit, slated to address pressing global challenges in agriculture and food security. His delegation touched down at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport at 4:26 p.m. local time, where Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh and senior Nigerian diplomatic officials welcomed him. The three-day summit, running from July 27 to 29, convenes world leaders to advance strategies for sustainable food production and equitable distribution amid rising climate and geopolitical pressures.
Shettima’s agenda includes pivotal discussions on transforming agricultural value chains, with a focus on Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen food security. He is expected to join a high-level session dedicated to revamping the coffee industry—a critical export for Ethiopia and other African nations—as well as roundtables on innovative farming practices and partnerships. Side events will highlight case studies of successful food system overhauls, emphasizing knowledge-sharing to tackle hunger and economic disparities.
The summit builds on commitments made during the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and a follow-up review in 2023, known as UNFSS+2. This year’s gathering aims to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing gaps in resilience, particularly in regions affected by conflict and climate disasters. Key themes include scaling climate-smart agriculture, boosting smallholder farmer support, and integrating technology to reduce waste and improve supply chains.
Diplomatic sources noted Shettima’s meetings with Ethiopian leaders and international delegates could foster bilateral cooperation, particularly in Nigeria’s push to mitigate food inflation and dependency on imports. The vice-president’s delegation included Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires to Ethiopia, Amb. Nasir Aminu, alongside defense and finance attaches, signaling the summit’s intersection with economic and security priorities.
UN organizers underscored the urgency of unified action, citing data showing over 700 million people faced chronic hunger in 2023, with Africa disproportionately impacted. The event’s outcomes are expected to influence policy frameworks and funding allocations ahead of September’s SDG Summit in New York, positioning food systems reform as a linchpin for broader developmental gains.
As debates unfold in Addis Ababa, stakeholders will weigh the viability of localized solutions against global trade dynamics, testing whether multilateral forums can deliver tangible reforms for vulnerable populations. For Nigeria—Africa’s most populous nation—the summit represents a critical platform to align domestic agricultural revitalization plans with international support mechanisms.
