The findings of the fifth edition of the Global Report on Food Crises make grim reading. The number of people facing acute food insecurity and requiring urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance is on the rise. Conflict is the main reason, combined with climate disruption and economic shocks, aggravated by the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Conflict and hunger are mutually reinforcing. We need to tackle hunger and conflict together to solve either. They cannot be resolved separately. Hunger and poverty combine with inequality, climate shocks and tensions over land and resources to spark and drive conflict. Likewise, conflict forces people to leave their homes, land and jobs. It disrupts agriculture and trade, reduces access to vital resources like water and electricity, and so drives hunger and famine.

We must do everything we can to end this vicious cycle. Addressing hunger is a foundation for stability and peace. Our blueprint is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and partiularly SDG 2 on zero hunger. Accordingly, we need to transform our food systems to make them more inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Mobilizing ambitious action in that regard is the goal of the Food Systems Summit that I will convene later this year.