Rio De Janeiro — President Cyril Ramaphosa has used the opening of the G20 Leaders' Summit to urge world leaders to intensify efforts to eliminate poverty and hunger.
"We must advance gender equality. And we must overcome the planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and pollution," he said on Monday.
The President was delivering a statement on social inclusion and the fight against poverty and hunger during the first working session on the first day of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
READ | Two-day G20 Summit kicks off in Brazil
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative launched today at the summit under Brazil's G20 Presidency, takes a significant step towards its operationalisation with the announcement of the first members of its Board of Champions.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasised that hunger and poverty are not the result of scarcity or natural phenomena, but rather a product of political decisions that perpetuate the exclusion of a large part of humanity.
President Ramaphosa has thrown his weight behind the Brazilian Presidency's focus on social inclusion and the fight against hunger.
The alliance is an initiative dedicated to mobilising resources and coordinating actions among countries, institutions, and organisations to achieve ambitious goals of reducing hunger and poverty, working to find solutions for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1 of no poverty and SDG 2 (zero hunger).
The Board of Champions will consist of up to 50 members, including 25 countries and 25 organisations, with South Africa still yet to announce its representative.
"It is only through an integrated and comprehensive system of social support that we will be able to assist the most vulnerable in society," the President told leaders.
According to the World Bank, nearly 700 million people are currently living in extreme poverty, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 67% of this population.
"At the same time, countries with developing economies are faced with declining growth prospects, declining investments and rising debt."
The Head of State said the challenges could derail development gains and progress toward achieving the SDGs.
This is why he called for a renewed effort to eliminate poverty and hunger.
Since the start of democracy 30 years ago, the President said South Africa has invested significant effort and resources into alleviating poverty and reducing inequality.
"Through its substantial social protection programmes, our government has provided vital support to millions of South Africans, lifting many out of extreme poverty and ensuring that our communities meet most of their basic needs."
These social protection measures include the provision of free basic services, healthcare, basic education, higher education, social housing and transport.
"South Africa is committed to ending poverty, malnutrition and hunger in line with our National Development Plan."
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In addition, he told his counterparts that food security will be one of the high-level priorities of South Africa's G20 Presidency.
Preparations are underway for South Africa's G20 Presidency and the hosting of the G20 Summit in 2025.
South Africa is set to assume the Chair of the G20 from Brazil on 1 December next month.
"As the G20, we need to ensure that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals remains at the forefront of international financing decisions.
"We need to ensure that long outstanding commitments are met. And we need to ensure that new, at-scale, affordable and accessible funding is mobilised to support sustainable development. We must leave no one behind," he added.
