Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese AmbassadorDang Dinh Quy underscored the need for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to doubleefforts to resolve conflict-driven hunger while speaking at a high-level opendebate of the council on the issue on March 11.
In his remarks at the teleconferenced debate, UNSecretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “Famine and hunger are no longer aboutlack of food. They are now largely man-made — and I use the term deliberately.They are concentrated in countries affected by large-scale, protractedconflict. And they are rising.”
Climate shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic areadding fuel to the flames, he said, citing data as showing that at the endof 2020, more than 88 million people were suffering from acute hungerdue to conflict and instability, a 20-percent increase in one year.
Guterres appealed to all UNSC members to takeurgent action and increase humanitarian aid.
The Secretary-General also voiced concern overthe targeting of aid workers, including the killing of Italian Ambassador tothe Democratic Republic of Congo Moustapha Milambo.
He said he has decided to establish a high-leveltask force on preventing famine, and that the transformation of food systems tomake them more inclusive, resilient and sustainable will be one of the keyissues of the Food Systems Summit to be held later this year.
David Beasley, Executive Director of the WorldFood Programme, warned about a hunger pandemic besides the COVID-19 pandemic,describing children as the most vulnerable in these disasters.
At the debate, UNSC member states called on theparties involved in conflicts to comply with the International HumanitarianLaw, create conditions for humanitarian organisations’ unimpeded access tocivilians, and increase sponsorship commitments to food and humanitarianassistance programmes.
They affirmed that sustainable development andconflict settlement and eradication form comprehensive and long-term solutions.
For his part, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy,Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, said the UNSC needs to enhanceefforts to address conflict-driven hunger.
He called on countries, international andregional organisations, as well as sponsors, to maintain contributions tohumanitarian aid programmes while assisting countries to boost the capacity ofprotecting and meeting essential needs of people and build sustainable foodsystems to enable people’s access to safe and nutritious food.
The UN should have all-round solutions thatfocus on preventing and ending conflict and building sustainable peace, solveroot causes of conflict, and promote regional organisations’ role inmaintaining peace and settling conflict in their regions, the diplomatsuggested.
In Resolution 2417 (2017), the UNSC affirmedthat armed conflict and violence are a major cause of famine.
Since the beginning of 2020, the council hasheld two meetings on risks of conflict-driven hunger in such countries asYemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, andAfghanistan./.
In his remarks at the teleconferenced debate, UNSecretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “Famine and hunger are no longer aboutlack of food. They are now largely man-made — and I use the term deliberately.They are concentrated in countries affected by large-scale, protractedconflict. And they are rising.”
Climate shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic areadding fuel to the flames, he said, citing data as showing that at the endof 2020, more than 88 million people were suffering from acute hungerdue to conflict and instability, a 20-percent increase in one year.
Guterres appealed to all UNSC members to takeurgent action and increase humanitarian aid.
The Secretary-General also voiced concern overthe targeting of aid workers, including the killing of Italian Ambassador tothe Democratic Republic of Congo Moustapha Milambo.
He said he has decided to establish a high-leveltask force on preventing famine, and that the transformation of food systems tomake them more inclusive, resilient and sustainable will be one of the keyissues of the Food Systems Summit to be held later this year.
David Beasley, Executive Director of the WorldFood Programme, warned about a hunger pandemic besides the COVID-19 pandemic,describing children as the most vulnerable in these disasters.
At the debate, UNSC member states called on theparties involved in conflicts to comply with the International HumanitarianLaw, create conditions for humanitarian organisations’ unimpeded access tocivilians, and increase sponsorship commitments to food and humanitarianassistance programmes.
They affirmed that sustainable development andconflict settlement and eradication form comprehensive and long-term solutions.
For his part, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy,Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, said the UNSC needs to enhanceefforts to address conflict-driven hunger.
He called on countries, international andregional organisations, as well as sponsors, to maintain contributions tohumanitarian aid programmes while assisting countries to boost the capacity ofprotecting and meeting essential needs of people and build sustainable foodsystems to enable people’s access to safe and nutritious food.
The UN should have all-round solutions thatfocus on preventing and ending conflict and building sustainable peace, solveroot causes of conflict, and promote regional organisations’ role inmaintaining peace and settling conflict in their regions, the diplomatsuggested.
In Resolution 2417 (2017), the UNSC affirmedthat armed conflict and violence are a major cause of famine.
Since the beginning of 2020, the council hasheld two meetings on risks of conflict-driven hunger in such countries asYemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, andAfghanistan./.
VNA
