The discussions took place at Doha Solutions Forum for Social Development and the first meeting of leaders of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Povertykept on the sidelines of Second World Summit for Social Development.
Learn from each other
Opening the Solutions Forum, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the event marked a deliberate shift from “admiration of the problem” to action using proven approaches.
“Too often we are faced with situations in which we have no clear solution, no answers to the suffering we see, and it breaks our hearts.” she said.
“Or we have the solution [but] We either can’t or don’t want to do what needs to be done, which is frustrating.»
“Today it’s different: we are here to avoid falling into these traps,”, she added, “to learn from each other; benefit from good ideas; join forces; and live up to our common principles.
Partnerships enable
Organized by the State of Qatar in collaboration with France and supported by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Forum brought together government officials, private sector representatives and a range of stakeholders who highlighted policies and projects that have had an impact in areas such as poverty eradication, decent work and social inclusion.
For her part, Ms. Baerbock cited examples from around the world, including a program in Sierra Leone supporting people with disabilities through training, job placements and microcredits.
In Sri Lanka, a civil society innovation hub trains young people for jobs and reinvests revenues into skills development, while in India, a national digital identity system has opened more than 300 million bank accounts and expanded access to social services.
These initiatives show what is possible when innovation, partnership and resources come together, she said, urging delegates to seize the opportunities.
Scale solutions that work
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed echoes the urgency of moving from commitment to implementation.
She highlighted the importance of the Doha Political Declaration which will be adopted at the World Summit.
“This calls for social contracts that work for people – fair, inclusive and built for today’s realities,” she said.
“To achieve this, we must evolve the solutions that work,» she urged participants to learn lessons from the solutions put forward during the Solutions Forum.
“Use these stories. Let them fuel your determination. Bring them back to your communities and turn them into bold actions – today and for generations to come.»
A health worker measures a child for signs of malnutrition in Khartoum, Sudan. Across the world, climate-related conflicts and shocks are leading to increased hunger, leaving families struggling to access food, care and stability.
Global alliance meets to tackle hunger crisis
The focus on solutions continued Monday, as leaders gathered for the first high-level meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.
With more than 670 million people going hungry and 2.3 billion facing moderate or severe food insecurity, President of the General Assembly Baerbock stressed that the current food crisis is not due to lack of food, but “to inequalities, conflicts and political choices.”
“That’s billions of people wondering where their next meal will come from,” she said. “Parents need to see their children go to bed hungry…the hunger crisis is not the lack of food. This is entirely avoidable.»
As the planet warms, insecurity spreads
She particularly highlighted climate change as a rapidly accelerating factor in food insecurity.
Describing the Sahel’s farmlands turned to dust, she called it “the new frontline of food insecurity”, warning that unchecked global warming could plunge up to 1.8 billion more people into hunger.
The Global Alliance – launched under Brazil’s G20 presidency in 2024 – now has nearly 200 members, including national governments, regional bodies, international organizations and civil society groups.
Monday’s meeting aimed to strengthen coordinated action, including expanding social protection, supporting rural livelihoods and investing in climate-resilient agriculture.
“In a world of abundance – where there should be more than enough for everyone – it is entirely possible to ensure that everyone, everywhere has enough to eat,” Baerbock said. “A world free of hunger and poverty is not a distant aspiration. It is within our reach, if we achieve it together.”
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Originally published at Almouwatin.com
