NUTRITION

Food security. The VIII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC in Spanish) was held on March 1 and 2. The event, which was attended by the presidents of Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba and Venezuela, approved the Kingstown Declaration and the update of the CELAC-FNS Plan to 2030. The Declaration highlights lines of action for regional integration and development with the aim of fostering health cooperation and promoting food security. The CELAC-FNS Plan to 2030, on the other hand, seeks to provide tools to the countries of the region with the main objective of eradicating hunger. The next CELAC summit will be held in Honduras in 2025.

In principle, the Kingstown Declaration seeks to recognize the role of the countries of the region as net food importers and, in order to promote greater hemispheric trade and cooperation in food security and nutrition, calls for the promotion of an open multilateral trade system to reform the international agricultural trade system within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

Likewise, with respect to strengthening actions to address climate change, the document calls for countries to take action to limit the increase in temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The document also lends its support to the negotiation of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution through the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee.

On the other hand, the declaration also calls for the implementation of the CELAC FNS Plan, which aims to eradicate hunger and improve nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2030. Among its recommendations are measures to promote sustainable production and access to nutritious food, ensure the affordability and consumption of healthy diets, and promote agrifood systems that are resilient to climate change. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of legislative participation in discussions on food security projects and the promotion of healthy food environments through school feeding programs and nutritional front-end labeling systems.

Next steps

During the VIII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the countries of the region approved the Kingstown Declaration and the update of the CELAC-FNS Plan to 2030. The Plan will serve as a guide and methodological basis for Latin American and Caribbean governments and congresses to advance in cross-cutting regulations on food labeling, access to nutritious food and agrifood systems that are resilient to climate change. The next CELAC summit is expected to be held in Honduras in 2025.

Engagement opportunity for McDonald’s

McDonald’s may become involved in the formulation of draft legislation or public consultation periods when the Executive and Legislative Branches of the countries in the region propose initiatives related to CELAC recommendations. However, the participation of companies will be subject to the willingness of public actors to enable the intervention of other social sectors in the corresponding regulatory debate.