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SIPRI co-hosts webinar on conflict and hunger ahead of UN Food Systems Summit

SIPRI co-hosts webinar on conflict and hunger ahead of UN Food Systems Summit
Screenshot during the virtual event ‘From Conflict and Hunger to Stability and Nourishment: A Comprehensive Approach to Peace, Development and Humanitarian Action’

On 27 July, SIPRI, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) hosted an affiliated event of the United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit on ‘From Conflict and Hunger to Stability and Nourishment: A Comprehensive Approach to Peace, Development and Humanitarian Action’.

The aim of the panel discussion was to draw attention to the rising risk of famine, driven by conflict, ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit in September. The panel reflected on the need for a multidisciplinary, coherent, comprehensive and systemic approach to strengthening food systems that is implementable in diverse national contexts—including forced displacement—and that fosters peace and stability. The panellists shared examples of efforts to address the root causes of food insecurity, while highlighting solutions across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus that can help to end hunger in fragile and conflict settings.

During the event, Dan Smith, SIPRI Director, delivered opening remarks and moderated the subsequent discussion. Speakers included Habib Mayar, Deputy General Secretary, g7+ Secretariat; Willem Olthof, Deputy Head of Unit, Sustainable Agri-food Systems and Fisheries, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), European Commission; and Muna Luqman, Founder and Chair, Food4Humanity Foundation. Rein Paulsen, Director, Office of Emergencies and Resilience, FAO, shared an intervention and Valerie Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director, WFP, provided her reflections.

Watch a recording of the webinar here.