Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Launches New Global Alliance to End Hunger and Poverty During G20 Presidency
Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News
4 minutes read. Updated 1:34PM GMT Thurs, 25July, 2024
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva officially unveiled a groundbreaking global alliance on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The announcement took place in Rio de Janeiro and marks a critical milestone in Brazil’s leadership role during its presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) nations.
During the announcement, President Lula criticized the continued existence of global hunger despite the world’s ample food production capabilities. His remarks came during a ministerial meeting dedicated to laying the groundwork for the new global alliance. The initiative reflects one of Brazil’s top priorities as it leads the G20, a group representing the world’s major economies.
The global alliance is designed to mobilize financial resources and share knowledge to advance policies and programs aimed at reducing inequality and poverty. According to a statement from Brazil’s G20 press office, the initiative will be formally established later this year. World leaders are expected to convene in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit on November 18-19, where the alliance’s formal launch will be a key agenda item.
The alliance will operate under a secretariat based at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, with additional administrative support from Brasilia. Brazil will cover half of the initiative’s costs, emphasizing the country’s commitment to the cause.
Lula, a former trade unionist who previously served as Brazil’s president from 2003 to 2010, returned to office for a third term in 2023. His presidency has been marked by a focus on both domestic and international efforts to combat hunger, reflecting his personal experiences growing up in poverty in Brazil’s northeastern Pernambuco state.
Brazil, one of the world’s leading food exporters, supplies significant quantities of commodities including corn, soybeans, coffee, sugar, beef, and chicken. Despite this, the global fight against hunger remains a pressing issue. According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, approximately 733 million people faced hunger in 2023. This figure translates to one in eleven people worldwide and one in five people in Africa.
The report also highlighted a troubling rise in food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, with persistent high numbers of food-insecure individuals despite regional progress in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In addition to addressing hunger and poverty, Brazil’s G20 presidency under Lula’s leadership is also advocating for reforms in global governance institutions and pushing for a sustainable energy transition. These efforts are part of Lula’s broader strategy to position Brazil and himself as leading voices for the Global South.
For more details on this global initiative, visit Brazil’s G20 Press Office, and for further insights into global food security issues, check out the State of Food Security and Nutrition Report.
