In 2025, the UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Noncommunicable Diseases is taking place in New York, and stakeholders present at the meeting acknowledged the opportunity that this presents to identify improved definition of action.
In particular going forward there should be a concentrated focus on the areas of tackling heavy-episodic (or binge) drinking, and chronic-heavy drinking.
Participants also identified other opportunities for engagement in global arenas such as during high profile sports events (e.g. the FIFA World Cup in USA), employing efforts to reach out to the public and also engage governments and the private sector in reducing the harmful use of alcohol.
In the area of data sharing, stakeholders requested a country informational portal that can be used for global reporting and accountability to identify how countries are performing (consumption, harm, and regulatory trends) and whether they have polices and procedures that encourage or discourage harmful drinking. Advocacy, community engagement, and programming messages can be developed on this basis.
Conclusion
Following this series of dialogues characterised by the candid sharing of opinion and experience by multiple stakeholders globally, the future looks promising for further collaboration on the ground. The series demonstrated a need for concrete action and the importance of exchanging differing views and perspectives. It also provided an opportunity to identify improved definition of action in forthcoming global statements, for example, in a possible 2025 Political Declaration from the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs.
IARD has produced a suite of outputs to demonstrate industry commitment, and support better practice than before, and is open to future working with multiple stakeholders to convene, facilitate and share information in order to make further progress.
Though much work remains to be done, and more trust needs to be built among stakeholders, participants demonstrated that finding concrete areas of shared interest, no matter how small, is a way to make progress.
About the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD)
IARD is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking and promoting understanding of responsible drinking. It is supported by leading global beer, wine and spirits producers, who have come together for a common purpose: to be part of the solution in combating harmful drinking. To advance this shared mission, IARD works and partners with the public sector, civil society, and private stakeholders.
Alison Dunn
Wilton Park | September 2023
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Notes
Wilton Park reports are brief summaries of the main points and conclusions of a conference. The reports reflect rapporteurs’ personal interpretations of the proceedings. As such they do not constitute any institutional policy of Wilton Park nor do they necessarily represent the views of the rapporteur. Wilton Park reports and any recommendations contained therein are for participants and are not a statement of policy for Wilton Park, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or His Majesty’s Government.
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