The Alliance to End Hunger commends the leadership of the United States in announcing an additional commitment of $362 million in assistance through USAID for countries facing severe food insecurity across Africa and Haiti. This pledge was made by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at an open session of the UN Security Council on famine and conflict-induced food security, in which over 75 nations reiterated their commitment to combating food insecurity.
Funding announced by Secretary Blinken will “strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities by bolstering their capacity to combat malnutrition, reduce morbidity and mortality, promote economic growth, minimize disaster risk, improve food security, and adapt to climate change.”
Conflict is both a cause and consequence of food insecurity, making additional funding absolutely critical during these uncertain times. The United Nations estimates that between 691 and 783 million people faced chronic hunger last year, representing over nine percent of the world’s population.
“There are many problems in this world we cannot solve, malnutrition is not one of them,” stated Navyn Salem, CEO of Alliance member Edesia at the UN Security Council meeting. Edesia produces and distributes ready-to-use therapeutic foods to treat severe malnutrition.
Adopting a presidential statement, the Security Council reiterated its commitment to address conflict-induced food insecurity in situations of armed conflict during a day-long open debate on the matter, in which 80 speakers voiced alarm and urged unity to address the growing scale of food insecurity and human suffering due to conflict and violence.
The Alliance welcomes the commitment to combat conflict-induced food insecurity expressed by so many nations during the UN Security Council debate on August 3. All nations of the world must come together to provide the necessary funding to treat the scourge of global hunger and malnutrition through both humanitarian intervention and agricultural development funding to address the underlying causes of hunger. This is particularly true for smallholder farmers who produce 60-80% of the food in developing countries. This funding is critical for global stability and to prevent future conflict.
