The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty was highlighted as a model of leadership in addressing food insecurity on Monday (July 28), during the opening of the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+4), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, through Tuesday (July 29).
In a video message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged some progress in the fight against hunger but said it remains insufficient to address the current crisis. “Global hunger is rising, trade shocks are making food prices unaffordable, and one-third of the world cannot afford a healthy diet,” he warned. “This is not just a crisis of scarcity—it is a crisis of equity, justice, and climate,” he added.
Faced with this scenario, Guterres called for united efforts and praised initiatives like the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. “We need to build on new leadership, such as the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, and scale up actions across all sectors,” he said. “Governments cannot do this alone,” he added.
According to Guterres, there are three urgent issues that must be addressed. The first is the need to “break down silos.” “Food systems are everyone’s responsibility. We need integrated policies and a global framework that connects agriculture with people, health, climate, trade, and finance,” he said. He also stressed the importance of addressing power imbalances and unlocking and connecting large-scale financing.
Lilian Rahal, Brazil’s National Secretary for Food and Nutritional Security at the Ministry of Social Development (MDS), also took part in the opening session. “The UN Secretary-General’s recognition of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as a model of innovation for global food security strengthens the path we are building,” she stated.
“As he emphasized, this is not only a fight for food production but a battle for justice and equality. The future of food is the future of humanity and we cannot accept that hunger is still used as a weapon of war. Our alignment with the climate agenda, especially at COP30, and our investments in agroecology show that it is possible to unite food sovereignty, sustainability, and dignity for all,” she added.
