For the tenth episode in our third season we discuss how countries are using the potential of alcohol policy to achieve the sustainable development goals - based on a landmark report from the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs.

Together with Scott Chiossi and Nick Banatvala we’re telling a story that will change how you view the role and potential of alcohol policy for promoting development. 

In today’s show, host Maik Dünnbier speaks with Scott and Nick about their landmark report that describes if and how alcohol has been integrated into United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs) as a risk factor for developing NCDs and/or as a link to mental health and behavioural conditions.

They analyzed 135 countries that rolled out a UNSDCF recently to see if and how alcohol policy is being addressed. In their conversation they discuss the findings of their analysis and why this analysis was needed in the first place?

Together, they make sense of the findings. The results of the study are underwhelming but Nick and Scott help to understand the reasons why - charting a constructive way forward.

They explore a key analysis of how different policy areas and dimensions of sustainable develpoment benefit from alcohol policy action. And Nick talks about multiple paths forward that the Task Torce, WHO and other UN agencies, civil society, and countries can take. 

Nick is the head of the Secretariat of the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs. 

Nick was Head of Global Affairs at the Department of Health in England where he led the development and implementation of the UK Government's first-ever global health strategy. 

Nick has vast experience from his work in the UK government, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, and at universities. 

In addition to being the lead author of a number of WHO and UK government publications, Nick has published widely in a range of peer-reviewed journals. Nick is co-editor of Noncommunciable Diseases: A Compendium, published in 2023. 

You can follow Nick's work on LinkedIn.

Scott is a Technical Officer working as part of the Task Force Secretariat.

He coordinates and supports a number of the Task Force’s working groups, and works on the Joint Programme on Catalyzing country action for NCDs and mental health. 

You can follow Scott's work on LinkedIn. 

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at [email protected].

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.