Number of People on Cusp of Famine Doubled to Over 700,00 in 2023, Secretary-General Says at Global Food Crises Report Launch, Urging More Funding for Ending Hunger

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the launch of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises, in Rome today:

The latest Global Report on Food Crises is a roll call of human failings.

In a world of plenty, children are starving to death.  Last year, almost 300 million people faced food crisis.  The number of people on the cusp of famine doubled — to over 700,000. 

Gaza has the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Global Report on Food Crises.  And conflict in Sudan has created the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.  That means hunger and malnutrition for millions, particularly women and children.

The global food crisis requires an urgent global response. We must transform food systems.  And the data in this report plays a vital role. So does finance.

Governments must boost funding for ending hunger:  By putting our proposals for a Sustainable Development Goal Stimulus into action in support of developing countries and fully funding humanitarian operations.  And they must follow-up on the Call to Action on Food Systems transformation.

With commitment and concerted action, we can create a world where hunger has no home.

Let’s get going — today.