“In addition to being deemed unacceptable, hunger is an urgent economic issue,” highlights Fernando Haddad

Officials gathered in Washington to share insights and explore collective strategies for addressing the dual challenges of hunger and poverty. The Finance Minister believes that prioritizing hunger within economic policies is critical.

On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad attended an event hosted by the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC, United States. This event coincided with the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, providing a platform for official participants to exchange successful strategies from their respective countries, offering insights from both provider and recipient perspectives on hunger relief.

During the meeting, moderated by French economist Esther Duplo, the minister reiterated the notion that hunger represents a critical economic issue. He emphasized that the eradication of poverty is fundamental to reshaping the global economy. Haddad stated, "In addition to being unacceptable from a humanitarian perspective, hunger poses an urgent economic challenge that produces lasting effects, particularly on children.”

"Hunger should be at the center of economic policies.  By breaking the economic cycle of poverty and eliminating hunger, we take the first step towards a world better prepared to address environmental and climate challenges,” concluded the Minister.

The minister highlighted the Brazilian experience, citing the implementation of social policies aimed at combating hunger and poverty between 2002 and 2014, which resulted in an 82% decrease in the number of undernourished Brazilians. He emphasized, "We witnessed a remarkable and unparalleled reduction in inequality." Providing additional context within the G20 presidency, Haddad noted, "A significant innovation of this G20 summit lies in our approach — we not only identify the issues but also connect them directly to potential solutions.” 

In addition to Fernando Haddad and Esther Duplo, notable figures attended the event, including World Bank President Ajay Bang, Mauritania's Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Abdessalam Saleh, Norway's Minister of International Development, Anne Tvinnereim, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Finance, David Masondo, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator, Samantha Power. Each participant lauded and commended Brasil's initiative in combating hunger and poverty.

World Bank President Ajay Banga emphasized, "President Lula's initiative and Brasil's G20 presidency are pivotal for the success of this plan." French economist Esther Duflo expressed her belief that "the Alliance's initiative is indispensable for sector coordination and the implementation of integrated policies.”

The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty stands as one of the key priorities launched by President Lula during the G20 presidency.

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