Ethiopia is completing final preparations to host the United Nations Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake (UNFSS+4) from 27 to 29 July 2025 at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) headquarters in Addis Ababa. Co-hosted by the Governments of Ethiopia and Italy, the summit will convene heads of state and government, ministers, UN officials, researchers, youth representatives, civil society organizations, private sector actors, Indigenous Peoples, and producers from around the world.
The three-day gathering represents a critical milestone in the global effort to transform food systems in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. It comes four years after the first UN Food Systems Summit in 2021 and serves as a moment to assess progress, share lessons learned, and drive forward collective action toward resilient, equitable, and sustainable food systems.
The official summit programme will be preceded by an Action Day on Sunday (July 27). The day will feature field visits to rural areas in Ethiopia that demonstrate integrated and locally led food systems transformation. Participants will witness first-hand how communities are addressing food security, nutrition, and climate resilience through innovative approaches. In addition to the field visits, a high-level Youth Event and Coffee Seminar will be held at the Science Museum in Addis Ababa.
Over the following two days, the summit will include high-level plenary sessions, ministerial roundtables, thematic panels, and stakeholder dialogues. Key areas of focus will include unlocking financing for food systems transformation, advancing rights-based and climate-smart solutions, promoting equity and inclusion, and supporting the resilience of smallholder farmers and local communities. The event will also feature side events, investment dialogues, and small and medium enterprise (SME) engagement opportunities.
Ethiopia’s role as host highlights its commitment to sustainable development and multilateral cooperation. The country has introduced a number of transformative food and climate initiatives in recent years, including a national push for wheat self-sufficiency, the Green Legacy reforestation campaign, and investments in irrigation and agro-industrial development. As a result, Ethiopia is increasingly recognized as a leading voice on food systems innovation and a hub for South-South cooperation.
Outcomes from the UNFSS+4 will feed into other major global processes later in the year, including the UN General Assembly, the UN Environment Assembly, COP30, and the World Food Forum. A stocktaking report from the UN Secretary-General, a summary of progress by non-state actors, and a Chair’s Summary will provide a roadmap for accelerating implementation over the next five years.