Rio de Janeiro – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva officially launched the Global Alliance to End Hunger and Povertyduring the opening session of the G20 Summit on Monday. The ambitious initiative, spearheaded by Brazil’s G20 presidency, aims to eradicate hunger and poverty worldwide by 2030. The alliance already boasts 148 founding members, including 82 countries, major international organizations, and philanthropic institutions.
In his address to G20 leaders and invited nations, Lula described hunger and poverty as humanity’s most pressing crises. “We live in a world where 733 million people are undernourished—equivalent to the combined populations of Brazil, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Canada,” he stated. “This is unacceptable in a world that produces nearly 6 billion tons of food annually.”
Lula emphasized that hunger is not a result of scarcity but political decisions that perpetuate exclusion. He challenged the G20, which represents 85% of the global GDP and 75% of international trade, to take decisive action. “It is our moral obligation to address this stain on humanity,” he declared.
The alliance’s objectives include:
Expanding income support to 500 million people in low- and middle-income countries.
Providing quality school meals to an additional 150 million children in regions affected by poverty and malnutrition.
Mobilizing billions in funding through development banks to implement large-scale anti-poverty programs.
“This alliance is not just about justice; it’s about creating a more prosperous and peaceful world,” Lula said.
Lula highlighted Brazil’s past achievements in combating hunger as a blueprint for the alliance. Programs like Bolsa Família, the National School Feeding Program, and the Food Acquisition Program have lifted millions out of poverty.
“By 2014, we had eradicated hunger in Brazil, but challenges remain. In just under two years, our renewed programs have already lifted 24.5 million Brazilians out of extreme poverty. By 2026, we will once again leave the FAO’s Hunger Map,” Lula assured.
The alliance will operate under three pillars:
National Action: Tailoring policies to the realities of each member country.
Financial Mobilization: Harnessing resources from global development banks.
Knowledge Sharing: Leveraging data-driven solutions to combat hunger and poverty.
A High-Level Champions Council will oversee progress, while the Global Alliance Support Mechanism, headquartered at the FAO, will provide strategic and operational guidance. Brazil has pledged to finance 50% of the mechanism’s costs through 2030, with contributions from countries like Germany, Norway, and Bangladesh.
Even before its official launch, the alliance had already spurred commitments in six priority areas during the G20 Social Summit last week. These early achievements, dubbed “Sprints 2030,” represent concrete steps toward achieving the alliance’s ambitious goals.
While rooted in the G20, the Global Alliance will function as an independent platform. Its governance framework is expected to be fully operational by mid-2025, with Brazil providing interim support. The alliance aims to unite stakeholders worldwide in the fight against hunger and poverty.
With support from countries across the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia, as well as leading organizations like the World Bank, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the alliance sets the stage for a transformative global effort.
“This initiative proves that collective action is not just possible—it’s essential,” Lula concluded. “The world has the resources to end hunger and poverty. What we need now is the political will to make it happen.”
