BRAZIL G20 LEADERS’ SUMMIT Session 1: Fight against Hunger and Poverty

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I highly commend President Lula for his lifelong commitment and leadership in the fight against poverty and hunger, with significant results achieved.

Despite so much national and international efforts, we are critically off-track to achieve the SDGs by 2030, in particular SDG1 and SDG2.

Today, 8.5 percent of the world population live below the extreme poverty line.  9.1 percent of the world population faced chronic hunger in 2023. About 2.8 billion people could not afford a healthy diet. Globally, more than three-quarters of the extreme poor lived in rural areas.

The uneven socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, economic slowdowns, and the climate crisis, have slowed down poverty eradication and progress on food security (availability, accessibility and affordability).

However, based on experiences and achievements of G20 members, achieving zero hunger is possible. But it requires even stronger political commitment, collective efforts and strategies, and consistent investment to address the economic, social and institutional challenges with deliverables.

I would like to thank Members for bringing hunger, poverty and inequality reduction to the centre of the discussions at the UN, G7, G20, APEC, BRICS, and others, with a number of concrete initiatives from Members, by Members and for Members, such as GDI, VACS and Food for Gaza, among others.

The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty under the G20 Brazilian Presidency offers a new important mechanism to support our efforts to promote coordinated action and share experiences among and beyond G20 members.

Ladies and gentlemen,

FAO will host the Support Mechanism of the Global Alliance, in close collaboration with the other UN agencies and international financial institutions.

I encourage all Members and partners to join the Global Alliance. The clock is ticking, and the cost of inaction is enormous.

At the heart of the Global Alliance lies a fundamental principle: the power of collective action from Lab to Land, from Paper to Production, will lead game change by implementation of evidence-based policy instruments, scientech solutions and farmers empowerment.

For real, measurable progress at country level with local situations to eradicate hunger and poverty for an inclusive and just world.

Thank you.