The World Bank, in partnership with the Government of Togo and the Global Financing Facility, will convene a regional Conference on early childhood nutrition and development on Monday, May 11, 2026, in Lomé.
The meeting, to be held at Hôtel 2 Février, will bring together government representatives from Western and Central Africa, UN agencies, development partners, private sector actors, civil society, and academia to address persistent challenges in maternal nutrition and early childhood development.
Organizers warn that slow progress in tackling malnutrition continues to undermine Africa’s human capital development and long-term economic growth. Although stunting rates have declined from 40 per cent in 2000 to 33 per cent in 2024, the region remains off track to meet the global target of a 40 per cent reduction by 2030.
Key discussions will focus on scaling up nutrition and early childhood programmes, strengthening service delivery systems, improving workforce capacity, mobilising sustainable financing, and enhancing data systems to support evidence-based interventions.
The Conference is expected to emphasise stronger regional coordination and country ownership as part of broader efforts to accelerate child nutrition outcomes across the sub-region.