The 2024 G20 Summit, led by Brazil, marked the launch of a new initiative called the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. This alliance calls on global leaders to unite in the fight to end hunger and poverty worldwide. Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, played a pivotal role in launching this significant global effort.
During the launch, President Lula emphasized that hunger and poverty are not due to a lack of resources or natural causes. "Hunger and poverty are not the result of scarcity or natural phenomena. It is the product of political decisions that perpetuate the exclusion of a large part of humanity," he said. He pointed out that the G20 nations account for 85% of the global GDP, which is valued at $110 trillion. Additionally, these countries handle 75% of global trade, which totals $32 trillion in goods and services, and represent two-thirds of the world's 8 billion people. President Lula stressed the importance of the G20 in tackling the challenge of eliminating hunger and poverty.
Drawing attention to global data, he noted that, "According to the FAO, in 2024 there will be 733 million people still facing undernourishment. It is as if the populations of Brazil, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Canada combined were going hungry." He highlighted that despite producing nearly 6 billion tons of food annually, the world still faces this crisis, and while military spending reaches $2.4 trillion, many people go hungry.
The creation of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty was a key achievement of the G20 Summit under Brazil's guidance. The alliance has 148 founding members, consisting of 82 countries, the African Union, the European Union, 24 international organizations, nine financial institutions, and 31 philanthropic and non-governmental organizations.
The Brazilian government outlined the goals of the alliance, focusing on accelerating global efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty. These objectives include reaching 500 million people in low- and lower-middle-income countries with cash transfer programs by 2030. Another target is to provide high-quality school meals to 150 million more children in nations suffering from severe child poverty and hunger. To achieve these goals, the alliance aims to secure billions in funding through multilateral development banks for various projects and programs.
"This will be our greatest legacy," President Lula said, emphasizing that the initiative goes beyond justice—it is crucial for creating more prosperous societies and fostering global peace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his support for the Brazilian-led alliance, recognizing the unique challenges faced by the Global South due to ongoing food, fuel, and fertilizer crises. He highlighted that these concerns must be a priority. "We support Brazil's initiative for a Global Alliance against hunger and poverty. This is an important step towards the implementation of the Deccan High-level principles for Food security, adopted at the New Delhi Summit," he said.
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