Four Encouraging Developments from the G20 Summit

Rev. Heather Taylor

Dr. Christine Sequenzia

Rev. Heather Taylor and Dr. Christine Sequenzia from Bread for the World attended the social summit in Brazil just before the G20 heads of state met this week. I was especially pleased by four outcomes from the G20 Summit.

First, the new Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty launched.  Eighty-one nations joined  before the launch, and more are in the process of joining. The website of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty is now up.

My long-time colleague, Asma Lateef (now responsible for policy and advocacy at the SDG2 Advocacy Hub), reported, “I think the proof of the pudding will be once the secretariat is up and running. But it was great to see Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa talk about their commitments to the Alliance and one or more of the policy strategies the Alliance is promoting.”

In a panel discussion organized by Katherine Marshall of the Berkley Center at Georgetown University, my comments stressed the importance of the Alliance’s “board of champions.” 

Second, there was progress in Brazil on the replenishment of IDA, the World Bank’s fund for low-income countries. President Biden attended the Summit, and the United States increased its IDA commitment by 14%. The Bank is aiming for commitments of more than $100 billion over three years. We’ll see if the Trump administration lives up to this commitment. Financing is critical to the renewal of global progress against hunger and poverty. The alternative would include increased frustration and violence around the world.

Third, the closing declaration from the Summit affirmed the World Bank’s fuller use of its balance sheet to expand its lending. Ajay Banga, the president of the World Bank, spoke at the Borlaug Forum in Iowa this fall, and explained their ambitious plans. These include a commitment to bring electricity to half of the 600 million people in Africa who don’t have access to electricity now. 

Fourth, the G20 nations agreed to develop a Global Mobilization Against Climate Change, an initiative that will complement the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.  President Lula of Brazil chaired the G20 Summit and will chair next year’s big environmental conference. He forcefully encouraged urgent action by all the G20 nations to make development sustainable and meet the internationally agreed climate goals.

During President Trump’s first term he withdrew the United States from the global climate-change agreement. If he does that again, the other nations of the world may move forward without U.S. leadership.

More on the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

Given that U.S. leadership against global hunger and poverty is likely to be weaker over the next few years, it’s encouraging to see President Lula and other leaders from around the world working to get progress going again. 

Forty-five nations have joined the Alliance, and many more are in the process of joining. To become members, members and institutions are required to submit their plans to reduce hunger and poverty.

Here is a clip from an interview at the G20 Interfaith Forum which met a few months before the G20 Summit to share faith perspectives on global issues.

This Week’s G20 Summit and the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

The G20 Summit takes place later this week in Brazil. The G20 is made up of the 20 most powerful countries in the world. President Lula of Brazil is this year’s G20 chair, and he has focused this year’s Summit on strategies to get the world’s progress against hunger and poverty going again.

They will launch the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a new international organization designed to strengthen commitment to ending hunger. It will also mobilize international support for country-designed initiatives to scale up successful, evidence-based strategies that work. I’m glad that the United States will be a founding member of the Alliance, and that President Biden will be attending the G20 Summit.

Faith leaders from around the world gathered in Brasilia in August for the annual meeting of the G20 Interfaith Forum. I was invited to speak. All the world’s major faith traditions teach us that helping people in need is spiritually important. At the August forum, faith leaders from around the world celebrated the impending launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and poverty. 

At a time of interlocking crises, this week’s G20 focus on hunger and poverty is a step in the right direction.

To learn more, click here.