G20 foreign, development ministers call for action to ensure adequate nutrition for all

MATERA, Italy - Ministers of foreign affairs and development from the world's 20 biggest economies on Tuesday called on the entire international community to build inclusive and resilient food chains, to ensure adequate nutrition for all, in line with the goal of "Zero Hunger" set for 2030.

In their first face-to-face meetings in nearly two years, the Group of 20 (G20) ministers gathered in the southern Italian city of Matera for the one-day talks.

Holding the G20 rotating presidency, Italy hosted the meetings which aimed at promoting a multilateral approach to the major global challenges, such as hunger and the crisis ignited by the coronavirus pandemic.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for an international response to emergencies, which transcend national boundaries," Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told his counterparts in his opening remarks.

Global governance and the sustainable development of the African continent were at the heart of the meetings. The ministers underlined the need to develop coordinated responses to major global challenges, such as post-pandemic recovery, international trade, climate action, as well as green and digital transition.

In the "Matera Declaration" adopted at the end of the meetings, the G20 reiterated its commitment to fight inequality, enhance youth and women entrepreneurship, and foster the ecological and digital transition on the African continent.

The G20 committed to working with developing countries on boosting "catalytic investments for food security, nutrition, and sustainable food systems...as part of the substantial COVID-19 emergency funding and longer-term national recovery plans".

Speaking at a press conference, Di Maio defined the Matera Declaration as a "concrete" call to action based on two key principles: maintaining food security and nutrition on top of the global political agenda, and concentrating efforts on policies and investments which have medium and long-term effects.

He said that the number of undernourished people around the world is estimated to reach 850 million by 2030 and might increase by another 100 million due to the global impact of the pandemic.

"We must reverse as soon as possible the current hunger trend, which has been on the rise since 2014...food security is crucial for the social cohesion and the peaceful development of territories and nations," he said.