Addressing heads of state, ministers and international partners, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the current hunger crisis is not the result of scarcity, but of inequality, conflict and political choices.
Last year, more than 670 million people suffered from hunger and 2.3 billion faced moderate or severe food insecurity. “This means billions are wondering where their next meal will come from. Parents who see their children go to bed hungry,” she said.
This is happening in a world that wastes more than a billion meals every day.
“The hunger crisis is not a lack of food. It is totally preventable,”he stressed, pointing out failures in access, affordability and social protection.
The meeting took place as Doha hosts the Second World Summit on Social Development, where nearly 14,000 attendees discuss how to strengthen social systems, expand opportunities and reduce inequality.
As the planet warms, hunger spreads
Ms. Baerbock highlighted climate change as a factor rapidly accelerating hunger. Recalling a recent visit to the Sahel, he described fertile land turning to dust as the heat increases and rains fail. “This is the new front line of food insecurity,” he said.
If global warming continues unchecked, up to 1.8 billion more people could face food insecurity, it warned. But limiting warming to 1.5°C, backed by investments in adaptation and resilience, could prevent millions of people from falling further into poverty.
Launched under Brazil’s presidency of the G20 in 2024, the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty now includes nearly 200 members: more than 100 countries, regional organizations, international agencies and civil society groups. Monday’s meeting was the first at the leaders’ level and aimed to accelerate practical cooperation, from expanding social protection to strengthening climate-resilient agriculture.
“In a world of plenty, where there should be more than enough for everyone, it is entirely possible to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has enough to eat.“Mrs. Baerbock said.”A world free of hunger and poverty is not a distant aspiration. It is within our reach, if we reach it together.“
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