G20 Radio Bulletin 151 - President Lula launches the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty; 82 countries have already joined

The launch took place during the opening ceremony of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro. For Lula, hunger is unacceptable in a world where six billion tons of food are produced per year. Listen to the report and learn more.

Report: Thayara Martins / Laura Carrasco Frederico

Reporter: The President of Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, officially launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty during the opening of the G20 Summit of Heads of State and Government. The ceremony, at the Museum of Art of Rio de Janeiro, was attended by presidents Joe Biden (USA), Olaf Scholz (Germany), Xi Jinping (China), and Emmanuel Macron (France), along with other leaders of the world's largest economies and invited countries. 

President Lula, citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), stated that 733 million people worldwide suffer from hunger. He pointed out that in a world where six billion tons of food are produced per year, in addition to military spending on the order of 2.4 trillion dollars, hunger is unacceptable.

President Lula: Hunger and poverty are not the result of scarcity or natural phenomena. Hunger is a biological expression of social ills. It is the result of political decisions that perpetuate the exclusion of a large portion of humanity. It is the responsibility of those gathered around this table to urgently address and end this scourge that shames humanity. This will be our greatest legacy.

Reporter: According to President Lula, those who have long been invisible will now be at the center of the international agenda, supported by the Alliance, which already has the backing of 81 countries, 26 international organizations. 

President Lula: I extend my gratitude to everyone involved in the planning and execution of this initiative, especially those who have already announced financial contributions. It was a year of intense work, but this is just the beginning. The Alliance is born in the G20, but its destiny is global. 

Reporter: The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty is open to all qualified countries and organizations that want to participate.

*Translated by PGET-UFSC