Famine is nothing less than "nutritional apartheid". These are the words of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who is championing what he describes as one of humanity's greatest challenges, according to CNN Brasil.
This is one of the most important moments during my third term, says Lula according to the channel.
Representatives from the UN, the banking world, Brazilian ministers, and international delegations were all gathered at a meeting in Rio earlier this summer, where Lula presented the new initiative.
Extreme weather exacerbates
The "Hunger Alliance" will gather and mobilize resources and develop strategies to address the unfair distribution of resources. The alliance is also seen as a way for Brazil to profile itself and drum up support ahead of hosting the next G20 summit in November, writes AP. It is also said to send an important signal within the G20 – which consists of the world's richest nations.
The Brazilian initiative comes at a time when famine is increasing worldwide. This is largely due to extreme weather affecting agriculture, according to the aid organization We effect.
Ending extreme poverty and famine by 2030 is one of the sustainability goals set by the UN. But the work is progressing slowly.
Last year, around 733 million people suffered from famine. This is according to a fresh report from the UN's Food Programme (WFP), reports AP. This corresponds to one in eleven people in the world and one in five in Africa.
A heart issue for the president
The Brazilian government hopes that around a hundred countries will participate in the alliance, which will be formally launched at the G20 meeting in November.
And for the Brazilian president, who grew up in poverty in Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, combating poverty is a heart issue.
We are now taking a decisive step to once and for all put this issue at the top of the international agenda, says Lula.
