Addressing heads of state, ministers and international partners, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, said today’s hunger crisis stems not from scarcity, but from inequality, conflict and policy failures.
Last year alone, more than 670 million people experienced hunger, while 2.3 billion faced moderate or severe food insecurity. “That is billions wondering where their next meal will come from, parents watching their children go to bed hungry,” she said.
This is happening in a world that wastes over one billion meals each day. “The crisis of hunger is not a lack of food. It is entirely preventable,” Baerbock stressed, citing failures in access, affordability and social protection.
The meeting coincided with the Second World Summit for Social Development, also held in Doha, where nearly 14 000 participants are deliberating on strengthening social systems, reducing inequality and expanding opportunity.
Baerbock identified climate change as one of the fastest-growing drivers of hunger. Reflecting on a recent visit to the Sahel, she described once-fertile land turning to dust as temperatures rise and rains fail. “This is the new frontline of food insecurity,” she said.
She warned that if global warming continues unchecked, up to 1.8 billion additional people could face food insecurity. However, limiting warming to 1.5°C, supported by strong investments in climate adaptation and resilience, could prevent millions from falling deeper into poverty.
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, launched under Brazil’s G20 Presidency in 2024, now counts nearly 200 members, including more than 100 countries, regional bodies, international agencies and civil society organisations. Monday’s meeting marked its first leaders’ summit, focused on advancing practical cooperation, from scaling up social protection to promoting climate-resilient agriculture.
“In a world of plenty, ensuring that everyone has enough to eat is entirely possible,” Baerbock said. “A world free from hunger and poverty is not a distant aspiration; it is within reach, if we reach for it together.”
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
