Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, at Security Council Open Debate on Conflict related food insecurity - November 17th, 2025

Mr. President,

I thank Sierra Leone for convening this open debate on a matter of critical importance to the international community. I also thank the briefers for their valuable insights.

Brazil aligns itself with the intervention to be presented by Guinea-Bissau on behalf of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries.

On the day of his election, President Lula affirmed that our most urgent commitment is to end hunger. This commitment extends beyond our borders and reflects a longstanding pillar of Brazil`s foreign policy.

The state of global food insecurity, particularly in conflict-affected countries, is alarming. According to the "2025 Global Report on Food Crises", over 295 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity. This marks the sixth consecutive year of increase.

We cannot ignore the broader verdict delivered by the 2025 SOFI report: 670 million people still go hungry, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity. These numbers reflect a collective failure of the international community. In Gaza and Sudan, among other places, we have seen the use of starvation as a method of warfare. This cannot be accepted and must not be normalized.

Overcoming these challenges is impossible without genuine multilateral coordination. In 2024, Brazil launched the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, a coalition that today has more than 200 partners, including 105 countries. The Alliance aims

to support large-scale, country-led implementation of proven public policies to fight hunger and extreme poverty, including in conflict-affected settings. It seeks to align political will, financing and knowledge around a single, shared goal: the eradication of hunger and poverty. This is the only war in which we can all emerge victorious.

But winning it requires confronting some inconvenient truths. We must reorient our priorities away from escalating militarization, and towards investing in sustainable food systems, inclusive development and social protection.

Mr. President,

The picture is even grimmer in countries affected by conflict. Armed conflicts continue to be key drivers of hunger and food insecurity, trapping populations in deteriorating conditions. Overcoming

this challenge requires international action and political will.

The best way to prevent hunger and malnutrition in the long term is to strengthen national capacities to prevent crises and respond to shocks. We must also ensure that member states have the capacity to build resilient agri-food systems and markets, for example by eliminating barriers to food trade and ensuring universal access to social protection.

We also need a broad-based coalition of actors engaged in preserving and promoting food security. Regional and local organizations, such as the AU and the CPLP, with context-specific knowledge on the dynamics of affected populations and agri-food systems, must be included in these discussions.

Financing must be mobilized at scale to address both urgent needs and structural vulnerabilities.

Mr. President,

International humanitarian law strictly prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and grants special protection to objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including food crops, livestock, and other essential resources necessary for food production.

Repeated violations, as those seen in Palestine, infringe our collective commitment to humanitarian law. Those violations must be firmly condemned and addressed with appropriate accountability measures. Humanitarian needs must be met in an unimpeded and impartial manner, and the Security Council must use its political capacity to advance solutions that ease conflict-induced food insecurity.

Mr. President,

Our collective response to this challenge must involve the three pillars of the UN.

Efforts must be intensified to expand technical assistance, reform trade mechanisms, and ensure financing for market access, climate-resilient agriculture, and sustainable development and inclusive recovery. Strengthening partnerships among governments, international organizations, the private sector, and communities is vital to scaling up these solutions – the Global Alliance may be a platform to catalyze these efforts, bridging action across the humanitarian, development, and peace pillars.

Brazil will remain fully engaged in these fronts and continue to be a firm advocate of the right of every person to sufficient, nutritious and adequate food.

I thank you.