ROMA – “The silent acceptance of hunger by human society is a scandalous injustice and a grave offense”, Pope Francis told the participants of the G20 Forum underway in Rio de Janeiro. “Those who, through speculation and greed, cause the hunger and death of their brothers and sisters of the human family, indirectly commit murder, which is attributable to them.”
The paradox of our time. The head of the Catholic Church wrote it to the leaders of the countries of the world’s major economies. In the text – read today by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, during the first session of work – the pontiff reiterates how the plague of hunger is the great paradox of our time, whereby 3 billion people “do not have access to a nutritious diet”, while another 2 billion “are people who are overweight or obese due to an incorrect diet”.
The weight of wars. These are all contradictions – said the Pope – which wars do nothing but exacerbate because not only are they responsible for the death of thousands of people, mass flight and displacement, but they also contribute to increasing famine and poverty, both directly in affected areas, and indirectly in countries located hundreds or thousands of kilometers away from conflict zones, in particular through the disruption of supply chains. “Wars – added Francis – continue to exert considerable pressure on national economies, especially due to the exorbitant amount of money spent on weapons and armaments”.
The exhortation to the international community. Hence the appeal for “immediate and decisive action”, involving the entire international community. According to the Pope, the elimination of malnutrition cannot be achieved only by increasing global food production, since “there would already be enough food to feed all the people on the planet”. It is rather a question of fair distribution and investments that help the poor and hungry meet their basic needs.
The proposal of the Holy See. To the great people of the Earth called to give substance and concreteness to the “Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty” finally the Pope recalled the proposal long put forward by the Holy See which asks to redirect the funds currently destined for weapons and other military expenses towards a global fund intended to tackle hunger and promote development in the most impoverished countries. “This – writes Francis – would help prevent the citizens of these countries from being forced to resort to violent or illusory solutions, or to leave their countries in search of a more dignified life”.
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What are the key strategies that can be implemented to tackle the issue of food insecurity on a global scale, and how can individuals contribute to these efforts?
Personal:
Guest 1: Elena Ortega, a senior researcher at the International Food Policy Research Institute with expertise in agricultural and resource economics.
Guest 2: Kofi A. Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and founder of the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Opening Questions:
1. Guest 1, how do you evaluate the Pope’s assertion that hunger and malnutrition are the scandalous injustices of our time? And Guest 2, as a prominent diplomat and humanitarian, how do you view the link between hunger and poverty?
Main Questions:
2. Guest 1, what are the primary challenges we face in ensuring global food distribution and access to nutritious diets? And Guest 2, what role do governments and international institutions play in addressing these challenges?
3. Guest 1, how do you think the international community can shift its focus towards sustainable development goals related to hunger eradication? And Guest 2, as the Pope suggests, should redirecting military expenditure towards combating hunger be a key component of this strategy?
4. Guest 1, what are some of the success stories in global hunger reduction efforts, and what lessons can we learn from them? And Guest 2, what are the potential obstacles to achieving the goal of “Zero Hunger by 2030”?
5. In your view, what are the most crucial actions that need to be taken by policymakers and civil society to address the root causes of hunger and poverty? And how can we ensure that these actions are implemented effectively?
Closing Questions:
6. Lastly, what message do you hope will come out of the G20 Summit on food insecurity and poverty alleviation? And what role do global leaders need to play in addressing these pressing issues?
