In response to the Senate’s vote on the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, Eric Munoz, Oxfam America’s Senior Manager for Food and Climate Justice, said the following:
“We applaud today’s Congressional action to provide $5 billion in funds for global hunger relief. Today, the United States has stepped up in a powerful way, and this relief cannot come soon enough.
“The conflict in Ukraine is the latest crisis to exacerbate global hunger, on top of the climate, COVID-19 and conflict pressures already pushing communities to the brink. Just as one example, we estimate that one person is likely dying of hunger every 48 seconds in drought-ravaged East Africa.
“The overwhelming bipartisan support for hunger relief demonstrates that the United States is capable of leading the fight to address hunger and malnutrition. But, we can – and must – do more.
“There is enough food and enough money to end hunger, and it requires more than a one-time investment. Our government must work with other countries and multilateral institutions to urgently mobilize the resources necessary so people can build resilience and escape poverty.
“Congress should ambitiously expand the Global Food Security Act, which funds programs designed to strengthen agricultural systems and prevent hunger.
“With these steps, the United States and the international community can save lives now and prevent a crisis like this from happening ever again.”
Note to the Editor:
- One person is likely dying of hunger every 48 seconds in drought-ravaged Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, according to estimates by Oxfam and Save the Children in “Dangerous Delay 2: The Cost of Inaction,” published May 18, 2022.