The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has urged Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the country’s delegation to push for stronger commitments on alcohol harms in the UN Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health.
The call forms part of a broader global initiative by member groups of Movendi International, the largest independent global movement for development through alcohol prevention.
According to the organisation, this is necessary to ensure the declaration delivers on its promise to accelerate prevention and promote well-being globally.
The initiative is also pressing for the inclusion of high-impact, evidence-based alcohol policy solutions in the declaration.
RDI noted that alcohol harm remains a significant but often neglected driver of NCDs and mental health challenges. It warned that the current draft of the declaration falls short of previously agreed commitments, undermines momentum for stronger alcohol action, and misses critical opportunities for evidence-based, coherent global responses.
In its letter to Nigeria’s Permanent Representative, RDI highlighted that Nigeria, alongside other governments, now has the opportunity to restore clarity, ambition, and measurable impact to alcohol policy within the declaration.
The organisation urged Nigerian delegation to push to: “Replace ‘harmful use of alcohol’ with ‘alcohol harm’ or ‘per capita alcohol consumption’ for clarity and scientific accuracy;
“Retain the two alcohol policy best buys on availability limits and advertising bans, and include the missing SAFER interventions: screening and brief interventions as well as driving under the influence of alcohol counter-measures;
“Include alcohol screening and brief interventions among treatment and prevention commitments;
“Reinsert the 80% taxation target for alcohol and tobacco;
“Introduce language acknowledging and protecting against alcohol industry interference and the commercial determinants of health; and “Align the declaration with the ambition, momentum, and global consensus of the Global Alcohol Action Plan to accelerate alcohol policy action by addressing alcohol harm as public health priority: Include fast-track action for alcohol policy.”
RDI Executive Director, Philip Jakpor said that the voice of the Permanent Representative and the Nigerian delegation “can ensure that the declaration reflects both scientific evidence and global commitments – delivering measurable progress in protecting health, preventing disease, and safeguarding the right to well-being for all”.