Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and wishes to add the following remarks in its national capacity.
We express our sincere appreciation to the co-facilitators for their commitment and leadership in guiding the preparatory process toward a new political declaration on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. Italy attaches high importance to the global health agenda and firmly supports integrated, cross-sectoral strategies that link health, food security, and the sustainable transformation of food systems.
Italy also recalls its co-facilitation, alongside Uruguay, of the 2018 political declaration on NCDs, a document that in our opinion continues to serve as a sound and balanced reference point for our ongoing efforts.
The latest report of the Secretary-General highlights the persistent burden of NCDs and mental health conditions, further exacerbated by the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges underscore the urgency of our collective renewed political commitment to prevention, management, and integrated care.
As we prepare for the upcoming negotiations on the new political declaration, we would like to underline the relevance of the following principles in guiding our discussions:
First, we believe that there is the need of an integrated response that focuses on prevention and health promotion in all sectors and with an holistic approach, also in view of the plurality and variety of both the causative factors and the social and economic consequences of these diseases. The approach must include both individual strategies and intersectorial and multi-stakeholder policies, in line with the ‘Health in All Policies’ strategy.
Indeed, we believe that health is also the result of balanced lifestyles, including health enhancing physical activity, and healthy diets that need to be assessed comprehensively and embrace models of moderate and varied consumption. Consequently, we emphasise the importance of food education programmes and policies, particularly aimed at young people, to generate and strengthen a culture of healthy lifestyle and sustainable dietary choices, and to make consumers more informed.
Second, Italy strongly advocates for a whole-of-society approach to the fight to NCDs that mobilizes all levels of government, policy sectors, and stakeholders. We particularly underscore the importance of engaging the private sector and promoting public-private partnerships, which have proven to be effective tools in developing innovative and scalable solutions to address public health challenges. Cross-sector collaboration must be at the heart of our response to NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being.
Third, we believe the declaration should avoid overly prescriptive language and instead reaffirm the principle of national ownership. Recognizing and respecting each country’s specific context and priorities is critical to ensuring the flexibility needed for context-specific, effective, and sustainable responses.
Please count on us and on our continuous, constructive engagement in the process ahead.
Thank you.
