The 2024 Global NCD Alliance Forum will build off the success and legacy of the previous ones held in 2015, 2017 and 2020 in Sharjah, UAE, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheika Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, Founder and Royal Patron of Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP). Following a break necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2024 will mark the 4th Global NCD Alliance Forum and the first Forum to take place in sub-Saharan Africa.
2020 Global Forum
Bridging the Gap
The 2020 Forum was organised under the banner theme of “Bridging the Gap”, with a view to accelerating global efforts to translate political commitments and rhetoric, into action and implementation at national and local levels. The Forum focussed on three key catalysts for change to bridge the gaps in the NCD response: accelerating transformative policies and solutions, building demand for action through social movements and voices of change, and enhancing accountability through transformative and inclusive governance.
A notable outcome was the Bridging the Gap: From global promisses to local progress discussion paper, which outlined priority gaps in the NCD response for advocacy, shaping the themes of NCDA’s Global Week for Action since.
2017 Global Forum
Stepping up the Pace on NCDs: Making 2018 Count
In 2017, the Forum convened just before the 3rd UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2018. Under the theme “Stepping up the Pace on NCDs: Making 2018 Count,” its objectives were to build consensus on advocacy priorities for the upcoming HLM, facilitate campaign planning, and strengthen the capacity of the NCD network.
Sub-themes included advocating for NCD prevention and control, breaking down silos, and sharing tools and strategies for advocacy and mobilization. A significant outcome was the establishment of NCDA campaign priorities for the 2018 UNHLM on NCDs.
2015 Global Forum
Advocacy and Accountability in the Post-2015 Era
The inaugural Forum in 2015 marked a pivotal moment in convening the NCD community and civil society, following the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which included NCDs as a target. Under the theme of “Advocacy and Accountability in the Post-2015 Era,” the Forum aimed to advocate for NCDs within the sustainable development agenda and brought together national and regional alliances for the first time. Sub-themes encompassed advocacy and accountability, organizational development, and partnerships for success. A significant outcome was the formulation of the Sharjah Declaration, which underscored NCD civil society commitment to supporting the SDG agenda.