Ottawa, CANADA – Nutrition International is pleased to announce the appointment of His Excellency Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the former president of Tanzania, to its Board of Directors.

Dr. Kikwete’s appointment was unanimously confirmed during the Board of Director’s annual general meeting on April 28, 2020, which was held virtually for the first time due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very pleased to have Dr. Jakaya Kikwete join us in our mission to end malnutrition,” said David de Ferranti, Chair of Nutrition International’s Board of Directors. “He has shown a sustained commitment to making the world a better place, whether through nutrition, education, or peace and security.”

Dr. Kikwete served as the president of Tanzania from 2005 to 2015. He previously held several portfolios in Cabinet, including Minister of Finance and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. As president, he was elected Chairman of the Southern African Development Community Organ on Defence, Security and Politics, and Chairman of the African Union Assembly of Heads of States and Governments.

“We are energized and excited that His Excellency is joining our Board of Directors,” said Joel Spicer, president and CEO of Nutrition International. “Nutrition International is fortunate to have an unusually high-powered and committed Board – intent on action. We share the collective conviction that now, more than ever, the world must prioritize nutrition in order to build back better. Dr. Kikwete’s guidance and stewardship will be crucial as we work for a world where everyone, everywhere can reach their full potential.”

In 2017, Dr. Kikwete established the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation, which works with governments and stakeholders to transform the lives of people across Africa through innovative, effective, sustainable and value-added solutions. He also serves on the Lead Group of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement and is a member of the International Commission on Financing and Global Education Opportunity.

“Malnutrition is an urgent issue, it is a social justice issue, it is a gender issue – and the damage it causes has not yet been matched by the political or financial commitment required to end it,” said Dr. Kikwete. “It is an honour to join the Nutrition International family and to work with the eminent personalities on this Board to end malnutrition, especially for women and children. The current COVID-19 crisis has shown us the immediate need to advance the nutrition agenda for them to ensure they can continue to move forward instead of falling further behind. There is no time to waste.”

Founded in Canada in 1992 and headquartered in Ottawa, Nutrition International is committed to ending malnutrition around the world. Nutrition International’s global Board of Directors is comprised of former heads of state and leaders in philanthropy, academia, think-tanks, advocacy and impact investing. The board provides guidance and support as the organization works to improve the lives of more than one billion people, particularly women, adolescent girls and children, with better nutrition by 2030.

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