Addressing heads of state, ministers and international partners, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock said today’s hunger crisis is not the result of scarcity, but of inequality, conflict and policy choices.

Last year, more than 670 million people experienced hunger, and 2.3 billion faced moderate or severe food insecurity. “That is billions wondering where their next meal will come from. Parents having to see their children go to bed hungry,” she said.

This is occurring in a world that wastes over one billion meals every day.

“The crisis of hunger is not lack of food. It is entirely preventable,” she stressed, pointing to failures in access, affordability and social protection.

The meeting took place as Doha hosts the Second World Summit for Social Development, where nearly 14,000 attendees are discussing how to strengthen social systems, expand opportunity and reduce inequality.

As the planet heats, hunger spreads

Ms. Baerbock highlighted climate change as a rapidly accelerating driver of hunger. Recalling a recent visit to the Sahel, she described fertile land turned to dust as heat rises and rains fail. “This is the new frontline of food insecurity,” she said.

If global warming continues unchecked, as many as 1.8 billion additional people could face food insecurity, she warned. But limiting warming to 1.5°C, backed by investment in adaptation and resilience, could prevent millions from falling deeper into poverty.

Launched under Brazil’s G20 Presidency in 2024, the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty now includes nearly 200 members – over 100 countries, regional organizations, international agencies and civil society groups. Monday’s meeting was its first at leaders’ level, aimed at accelerating practical cooperation, from scaling up social protection to strengthening climate-resilient agriculture.

“In a world of plenty – where there should be more than enough to go around – ensuring that everyone, everywhere has enough to eat is entirely possible,” Ms. Baerbock said. “A world free from hunger and poverty is not a distant aspiration. It is within reach, if we reach for it together.”

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