Brazil's President Lula Champions Global Alliance Against Hunger

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched a global alliance against hunger and poverty in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. He emphasised that addressing hunger is a political decision, not a natural occurrence. "Hunger is not something natural. Hunger is something that requires a political decision," Lula stated during the ministerial meeting to establish the alliance.

Global Alliance Objectives

The alliance aims to mobilise funds and knowledge to expand policies combating inequality and poverty. According to Brazil's G20 press office, it will be managed from secretariats in Rome and Brasilia until 2030, with Brazil covering half of the costs. Lula highlighted this initiative as one of Brazil's top priorities during its current G20 presidency.

Lula, who returned to the presidency in 2023 after defeating former president Jair Bolsonaro, has long focused on tackling hunger both domestically and internationally. Born into a poor family in Pernambuco state, he has firsthand experience with poverty. His administration seeks to leverage Brazil's expertise in food security issues, which are prevalent across the country from the Amazon to urban centres.

Brazil's Role and Expertise

Marcelo Cândido da Silva, a history professor at the University of Sao Paulo, noted that Brazil's extensive experience with food security can contribute significantly to global discussions. As one of the world's top food exporters, Brazil sends large quantities of corn, soybeans, coffee, sugar, beef, and chicken abroad.

The United Nations' sustainable development goals include ending extreme poverty and hunger by 2030. However, progress has been slow. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report revealed that around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023. This figure represents one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa.

Challenges and Political Will

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant increase in moderate or severe food insecurity in 2020. Despite some progress in Latin America and the Caribbean, numbers have remained high since then. "A future free from hunger is possible if we can rally the resources and the political will needed to invest in proven long-term solutions," said World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain.

Brazilian diplomats are also using their G20 presidency to advocate for global governance reforms and a sustainable energy transition. These efforts are part of Lula's strategy to position Brazil as a leader for the Global South.

Eduardo Mello from the Getulio Vargas Foundation remarked that this alliance allows Brazil to lead on issues crucial to poorer countries within the G20 forum. However, he pointed out that ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza hinder political will.

The formal establishment of this alliance is expected later this year when world leaders gather for the G20 summit on November 18-19 in Rio de Janeiro. Lula aims to garner support ahead of this event to ensure the initiative's success.

This initiative underscores Brazil's commitment to addressing global hunger and poverty while positioning itself as a key player on the international stage.