'The world is worse': President Lula opens G20 Leaders' summit in Brazil

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva opened the G20 Leaders' summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday by lamenting the growing tensions and armed conflicts plaguing the global stage and launched an initiative to end world hunger.

For the first time, the Brazilian leadership held the presidency of the G20, an economic bloc composed of the 20 largest economies in the world. As host, the Brazilian leader placed world hunger and poverty as top priorities in the agenda.

"I observe with sadness that the world is worse: we have the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II and the largest number of forced displacements ever recorded," said Lula.

During his opening remarks, the Brazilian leader cited the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) figures on world hunger, reporting that in 2024, 733 million people still suffer from malnutrition.

The staggering numbers translate to the combined populations of Brazil, Mexico, Germany, the UK, South Africa, and Canada dying of hunger, as stated by Lula.

"In a world that produces nearly 6 billion tons of food annually, this is unacceptable. In a world where military spending reaches 2.4 trillion dollars, this is unacceptable," he said.

The international summit is taking place amidst growing global tensions, as both the US and the EU continue to rally behind war efforts in Ukraine and the relentless attacks of Israel against Palestine.

Lula pointed out the great economic power and sustained influence among the G20 members, underscoring that they account for 85% of global GDP and $32 trillion in trade of goods and services, which could be geared towards ending world hunger.

"It is up to those around this table to take on the urgent task of ending this wound that shames humanity. Therefore, we have made the launch of a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty a central goal of Brazil's presidency in the G20. This will be our greatest legacy," said Lula.

The Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty stems from Brazil's domestic efforts to combat poverty and hunger. According to the president, in one year and eleven months of implementing the program, more than 24.5 million people have been lifted out of extreme poverty, and it is projected that by 2026, Brazil will be removed from the Hunger Map.

As of Nov. 15, the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty had registered the participation of 37 countries.

The G20 is made up of 19 countries that include Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Russia, Türkiye, UK and US, and two regional bodies: the African Union and the European Union.

The members of the G20 represent around 85% of the world's GDP, more than 75% of world trade and around two-thirds of the world's population.