EU steps up support for global food security and nutrition

The Council of the European Union adopted on 16 December 2024, its conclusions on “Stepping up Team Europe’s support to global food security and nutrition”, according to a recent news release.

Against the backdrop of unprecedented levels of food insecurity, the Council of the European Union adopted on 16 December 2024 its conclusions on “Stepping up Team Europe’s support to global food security and nutrition”. Conclusions provide a strategic framework for action to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition along the four pillars of: solidarity, production, trade and multilateralism. They also reflect the EU’s commitment to ensuring that internal and external policies are coherent, based on EU values and international law.

Recognising that food insecurity is caused by the compound effects of economic shocks, weather extremes and the depletion of the natural resources, the EU advocates for a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder strategy based on strong cooperation with multilateral partners. It further commits to addressing the humanitarian funding gap and promoting the transformation towards sustainable agriculture and food systems.

In its conclusions, the Council strongly condemns the weaponisation of food and the use of starvation as a method of warfare. It recalls Russia’s unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and the effects on global food security caused by the deliberate destruction of Ukrainian agricultural infrastructure as well as ports, storage and export facilities along with attacks on commercial vessels carrying Ukrainian grain. The Council further commends Ukraine’s efforts in ensuring agricultural production and exports and reaffirms its unwavering support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.

As to the situation in Gaza and Sudan, the Council urges an immediate ceasefire and calls for a full, rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid at scale, recalling that all parties in armed conflicts have an obligation to allow for food assistance for civilians in need.

Tags: nutrition, solidarity, food insecurity, Council of the European Union, Ukraine, multilateralism, Russia, газа, Sudan, trade, Production, hunger, food security