The EU at the turning point of the fight to end hunger and malnutrition

The fifth edition of the  European Humanitarian Forum comes at a critical time. Hunger and malnutrition are winning the battle, and commitments and action can no longer wait. Communities impacted by food crises are multiplying – today, more than 733 million people suffer from hunger – almost 10% of the world’s population.

In the 12 hardest-hit countries, the number of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and adolescent girls suffering from acute malnutrition has soared by 25%, from 5.5 million to 6.9 million, since 2020 alone. Yet humanitarian funding – and more globally overseas development assistance (ODA) – are facing an unprecedented decrease leading to fatal consequences for the most vulnerable communities.

In December 2024, the EU Member States reaffirmed its engagement to support global food security and nutrition through the adoption of Council Conclusion. This renewed policy commitment must build momentum among the EU actors to reinforce their unified and coordinated mobilisation. Collective responsibility must be reactivated among the international community to end the hunger and malnutrition spirals.

This year’s edition will specifically address the role of humanitarian diplomacy and the integrated approach to fragility to reinforce the efficiency and the effectiveness of humanitarian aid. “Action Against Hunger is actively engaged to recall the EU and its Member States’ responsibility and shares its recommendations to make this Forum a turning point to avoid a global hunger and malnutrition fate.

Stop feeding hunger and malnutrition by cutting and diverting aid funds

After decades of advancements and investments to fight hunger and malnutrition, this significant disruption in global aid is a turning point that deteriorates social and economic inequalities, puts millions of lives at risk and denies rights. In addition to the brutal cuts from the US Government, other donors such as Belgium, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden have also cut back funding4 at a time where the humanitarian community is dealing with major humanitarian emergencies such as Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan, the Sahel, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Ukraine, etc. These decisions to cut humanitarian and development aid, but also to divert ODA for other priorities based on geopolitical agendas and domestic priorities rather than communities’ needs and rights are leading to a greater politicisation of aid policies.

Action against Hunger calls donors globally to immediately step up and increase funding to support people in need and the most at-risk communities and people. Increased funding for nutrition and food security plays a crucial role in addressing the multifaceted challenges that communities face, enabling them to build resilience and ensure access to essential nutrition and sustenance. It must be taken into account in the upcoming European Commission proposal on the Multiannual Financial Framework and the future negotiations.

Boost humanitarian diplomacy to end conflict-related hunger

Conflict-induced hunger is an issue that can no longer be ignored, nor can it be something for which action is delayed. The latest figures show that 282 million people worldwide suffer from acute hunger. For 135 million of them, conflict is the primary cause. In addition, the humanitarian space and access is continuously threatened by the politicisation of humanitarian assistance, the unlawful denial of access, the impact of sanctions regimes and counter-terrorism measures and the campaign of disinformation or misinformation. It creates uncertainty among humanitarian and health workers, while impeding the impartial delivery of aid and healthcare and putting actors at further risk of attacks and criminalisation. Moreover, the critical funding gap, aggravated by the recent cuts of ODA from the US administration and within EU Member States, represents a direct threat for the protection of aid workers with reduced capacities to fund their security risk management systems, and to prevent security incidents in destabilised social and economic contexts.

Political leverage and diplomatic engagement are urgently needed to reduce, prevent and mitigate the impact of conflict on food and nutrition security .The ongoing work on European humanitarian diplomacy must address the important obstacles to principled and effective humanitarian action and lead coordinated engagement to reinforce the protection of humanitarian space. Action Against Hunger calls for stronger diplomatic efforts to prevent IHL violations and lift barriers to humanitarian access and ensure full implementation of the comprehensive legal and policy framework related to the protection of civilians and preventing starvation as a method of warfare. 

Engage in integrated approach to enhance food and nutrition security

The funding cuts are dangerously endangering the capacity to monitor, alert and anticipate the deteriorating food and nutrition crisis. Yet, early warning systems associated with anticipatory action mechanisms with pre-agreed funding modalities are critical to inform and monitor upcoming trends to act ahead of crises and reduce acute humanitarian impacts. In addition, long-standing division in the response to food and nutrition security between humanitarian actors and development stakeholders have created gaps in operational responses and prevented addressing all forms of malnutrition. Moreover, there is growing evidence that a combination of interventions from different sectors is more effective at preventing undernutrition than separately implemented interventions in fragile and conflict affected settings.

Action Against Hunger recalls that the food and nutrition crisis we face requires enhanced monitoring and anticipation mechanisms of humanitarian crisis, a strategic shift to system strengthening to reinforce access to acute malnutrition treatments, and a multisectoral long-term actions to nutrition security.