On 10 September, SIPRI and the Swedish Red Cross hosted a roundtable addressing the rise in global hunger. The event was held at SIPRI under the Chatham House Rule and focused on the humanitarian case for conflict prevention.
The world is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis: 282 million people are suffering from acute food insecurity and 45 million people face famine. Food insecurity is driven primarily by violent conflict, climate change and economic shocks. Yet, humanitarian funding has not kept pace. In response, humanitarian organizations are emphasizing the need to prioritize conflict prevention and peace promotion.
By bringing together a diverse group of experts, this roundtable provided a platform to exchange ideas on how to reduce the number of people requiring immediate humanitarian aid. Participants included representatives from the Swedish government, non-governmental organizations, research institutes and international organizations.
This group of key stakeholders discussed the move from reacting to humanitarian crises to preventing conflict and how Sweden can support this shift. The discussion also explored concrete examples of how preventing conflict can reduce hunger.
About the SIPRI Food, Peace and Security Programme
The SIPRI Food, Peace and Security Programme conducts research on the intersection between food security, conflict and peace. Researchers explore this intersection from a variety of perspectives—including gender and climate change—and examine the role of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding actors and donors in breaking the detrimental relationship between food security and violent conflict.
Click here to read more about the SIPRI Food, Peace and Security Programme.