MILAN, 22 Oct. - (ANA) - The Sahel and West Africa Week , taking place at Expo Milano from 26-30 October 2015, will bring together experts, civil society representatives, ministers  and government officials  for a series of special events focusing on food security and resilience in a region undergoing profound change.
 
The participants will share experiences and policy ideas, aim to strengthen partnerships and look particularly at the role of women in building resilience and sustainability.
 
The Week opens with the two-day Sahel and West Africa Club Forum in the EU Pavilion. The following debates will be open to media participation:
·         26 October, 14:30-16:30 EU Pavilion “Climate change, adaptation and food security”
·         27 October, 14:00-16:30 EU Pavilion “Women’s Empowerment, gender equality and resilience”
 
The Forum debates will also be webcast live at:  http://www.oecd.org/swac-expo-milano. Other media opportunities include:
 
·         29 October, 9:00-9:30 Palazzo delle Stelline, Corso Magenta, 61, Milan. The opening  of a special session of the Food Crisis Prevention Network  which has been fighting food and nutrition insecurity since its creation in 1984 , as shown in a new film.
·         30 October, 15:45-16:30, Palazzo delle Stelline, Milan. Adoption of the Milan Declaration. The 17 Sahelian and West African countries which have adopted a regional roadmap aimed at achieving the goal of Zero Hunger by 2030 and building the resilience of the most vulnerable populations, together with all stakeholders, will reaffirm their commitment to the Global Alliance for Resilience.
 
Further information about the Sahel and West Africa Week – including the list of participating ministers, officials  and experts - is available in  English,  French  and Italian.
 
Expo Milano runs until October 31, 2015 in Milan, Italy. Its theme is Feeding the planet. Energy for life.
 
The Sahel and West Africa Club is part of the OECD’s Global Relations Secretariat. - (ANA)

AB/ANA/ 22 October 2015 - - -