· The UK is today hosting a global food security summit with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) to galvanize action to tackle hunger and malnutrition.
· Somalia and the UAE will co-chair the summit which will bring together more than 20 countries, experts and international organisations.
· Nearly one billion people worldwide do not have enough to eat and 345 million face acute hunger and starvation.
On 20 November, the UK is hosting the first Global Food Security Summit to bring together Governments and experts to tackle global food insecurity and malnutrition, alongside co-chairs Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and [insert UAE chair]. Ministers and leading experts will come together to drive long term change on the challenges of hunger and malnutrition as well as tackling more immediate humanitarian challenges, including here in Somalia.
In his opening speech, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged the international community to address the underlying causes of food insecurity, and to act now to prevent food crises and malnutrition, and to build resilient food systems. The Prime Minister will also use the Summit to launch a new science centre where experts will develop climate resilient crops and identify risks to global food systems.
British Ambassador to Somalia, Mike Nithavrianakis, said:
“The UK and Somalia co-chairing the Global Food Security Summit is further evidence of our close partnership on the most pressing challenges facing the world. We are committed to helping Somalia tackle food insecurity and build climate resilience, evidenced by the up to £100m in humanitarian funding for new development projects improving resilience to climate change.”
In addition to the food security summit, the UK will also host the Somali President and other members of the Federal Government of Somalia for a Strategic Dialogue aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two countries.
Somalia President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said:
‘’We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of this global summit. Food Security is an issue that is very close to our hearts given the situation we are going through. The UK remains our key ally, and we hope to improve our partnership’’
The summit will explore how innovation, partnerships and the latest technological advances can ensure long term food security and improved nutrition for people in the hardest-hit countries like Somalia.
Through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s science and research partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK is helping to find solutions to address global food and climate challenges – including more nutritious, resilient crop varieties and innovation to tackle pests and diseases.
Working with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) the UK is already leading an innovative way of tackling child wasting and famine in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world.
Notes to editors:
- You can follow UK activity in Somalia on Twitter/X and Facebook (@UKinSomalia) or at www.gov.uk/world/somalia/news
- You can also read more about UK’s overview of Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) development activity with Somalia- UK–Somalia development partnership summary – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- New support for development projects in Somalia includes £99.6m for climate resilience. This is made up of £16.8mfor WFP to provide shock responsive social protection support for households against climate risks, £33m for natural water resource management to support food security and climate adaptation by FAO and £49,8m to build rural resilientcommunities with theBuilding Resilient Communities in Somalia NGO Consortium.
- The UK is a significant humanitarian donor to Somalia, and this year we are providing £48 million humanitarian support – including prevention and early action in response to El Nino and flooding [Our ODA budget for financial year 2023/24 is £90.1m. This compares to £74.6m in 22/23]
- Nearly 1 billion people worldwide experience severe levels of food insecurity and regularly do not have enough food to eat. Some 345 million are acutely food insecure, in need of humanitarian assistance to survive and save their livelihoods. (Link: Global food crisis | World Food Programme (wfp.org)
For more information contact:
Mohamud Ali, Communications Manager British Embassy Mogadishu, +254 (0)713416640, mohamud.ali@fcdo.gov.uk
