CERFAM Regional Center for Fighting Hunger and Malnutrition Becomes Exclusive Property of Côte d'Ivoire

The Regional Centre of Excellence for the Fight against Hunger and Malnutrition (CERFAM), established in October 2018, is now exclusively owned by Côte d'Ivoire following the signing of two new partnership agreements. These agreements include a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the transfer of CERFAM and an operational agreement for the functioning of the Center.

The agreements were signed on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at the Presidential Palace in Abidjan-Plateau, by Emmanuel Koffi Ahoutou, the Minister and Director of the Vice-President’s Office, and Margot van Der Velden, the Regional Director for West Africa at the World Food Programme (WFP). The signing ceremony was attended by several government members, as well as institutional, technical, and financial partners.

"Now under the ownership of the Ivorian state and placed under the authority of the Vice-President, CERFAM is opening its partnerships in a spirit of action for all stakeholders," said Emmanuel Koffi Ahoutou. He further explained that the scope of CERFAM’s actions would expand to include all states interested in learning from one another. "Identifying, documenting, and sharing practices adapted to African realities are at the core of CERFAM's mission and are essential for sustainable solutions on the continent," he added.

In this context of open partnership, Ahoutou highlighted that since November 2024, Côte d'Ivoire has been reviewing the governance framework for CERFAM's strategic and operational documents. "At the same time, consultations with states are ongoing to identify best practices in the fight against hunger and malnutrition across the continent," he said.

Ahoutou emphasized that at the national level, combating hunger and malnutrition is one of the structural priorities of Côte d'Ivoire’s National Development Plans (PND). He also announced that the upcoming PND for 2026-2030 would continue this priority, with operational actions based on the most productive and competitive initiatives, including those supported by CERFAM.

For Margot van Der Velden, the transfer of CERFAM’s full ownership to Côte d'Ivoire further strengthens the South-South cooperation model between the WFP and Côte d'Ivoire. "I am confident that this enhanced collaboration will play a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of 'Zero Hunger,'" she said.

The United Nations system and the African Union (AU) reaffirmed their commitment to standing alongside Côte d'Ivoire in this important work. The management of CERFAM will be entrusted to a United Nations agency, specifically the WFP, which will be responsible for appointing the center's director. Côte d'Ivoire will contribute 900 million CFA francs annually to CERFAM's fund, while additional resources will be mobilized from all stakeholders. Any requests for CERFAM's services from partners, the AU Commission, or member states must be made through an official request to Côte d'Ivoire.