2nd MEETING of the INTERIM WORKING GROUP
UNICEF, New York NY, USA
November 27-28, 2000
Conveners of the Round Table meeting of Leaders, held at the Salt2000 Symposium in The Hague in May 2000, nominated an Interim Working Group to develop recommendations for the organizational structure and work plan of a new Partnership for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency . The expert group, with members from salt industry, UN agency, NGO and academics, held its second meeting at the office of UNICEF, with other interested experts attending. Below is a summary of the discussion and conclusions.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The objective of the 2nd IWG meeting was to reach agreement about the recommendations for a structure and work plan of the Partnership. The proposal will be discussed during a Summit of Leaders on January 10, 2001, to decide on establishing the Partnership.
The IWG agreed on the following main issues:
- The magnitude and complexity of the task ahead, and the experience of collaborative work towards the global goal during the 1990s, are justifications for the formation of a new structural arrangement, or Partnership.
- Successful elimination of iodine deficiency, and ensuring ongoing iodine nutrition, is a national responsibility. The Partnership will assist National Coalitions in accomplishing the national responsibility.
- The vision and objectives of the Partnership, in summary, are the following:
1. Maintain the global priority for the elimination of iodine deficiency through universal salt iodization, and
2. Assist national coalitions in collaborative actions to sustain the elimination in their countries.
- This is the first global coalition with the salt industry included as equal partner.
- The IWG reviewed an analysis of problems and barriers in the progress of universal salt iodization nationally as basis for a work plan. Key needs and issues arising from the analysis by country indicated particular components of national programs to be supported on priority. A summary of the analysis is attached for reference.
- The Partnership includes the Summit of Leaders (meeting once every two years), Board of Directors (meeting 3-4 times a year) and a permanent, small Secretariat.
a) The Summit of Leaders is the body to evaluate global progress, recommend policy guidelines, and re-enforce the global commitment;
b) The Board of Directors will govern the Partnership. Directors will be nominated by the Summit of Leaders;
c) The Executive Director heads the Secretariat and will be appointed by the Board.
The Deputy Director of UNICEF in his opening comments confirmed the desire that a new coalition be formed to take on the demands arising from the success so far in USI. An analysis of the amount and complexity of the task ahead is the reason to recommend more intensified and collaborative work of a balanced group of organizations with inclusion of all the expertise and talents required. All the organizations present, clearly and unequivocally, voiced their firm agreement with this statement.
The IWG recommends that the Summit of Leaders on January 10, 2001 will nominate a Board of Directors, to be composed of UNICEF, WHO, ESPA, SI, KIWANIS, MI and ICCIDD. Senior executive officers of these organizations will be asked by Mr M.G. Venkatesh Mannar, Executive Director of the Micronutrient Initiative, to identify an appropriate officer of their organizations for the Board. It is recommended that the Board will hold its constitutive meeting immediately after the Summit of Leaders. The constitutive meeting should deal with relevant aspects related to the necessary start-up activities of the Partnership. An agenda for the Summit and Board meetings will be prepared by the IWG.
The IWG will recommend in the proposal document some options regarding administrative and financial aspects, such as legal status, membership arrangement and location/housing of the Partnership/Secretariat. The IWG expects to submit its final document on December 11.
In order to facilitate start up activities of the Partnership/ Secretariat, UNICEF, KIWANIS and MI are collaboratively planning to have a fund available of approximately $250K to cover expenditures for the first 6-9 months. The Board should explore further sources of revenue.
December 12, 2000 |
