The Divisions and Regional Offices for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Program (WFP) , announced a new Alliance that will unite their forces to support the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight with an initial emphasis on Haiti, Guatemala and Colombia, aiming to: eradicate hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

This new alliance responds to the critical context facing the Latin American and Caribbean region where according to the latest report published by FAO and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), hunger has increased in the region for first time in the last two decades. The situation in the rural areas of the region is alarming: rural poverty is 20% higher than urban poverty, while extreme poverty is 22% higher than in urban areas.

The Latin America and Caribbean Region can become the first in the world to achieve the Zero Hunger Target by 2030," said Miguel Barreto, WFP Regional Director.

"Achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda requires us to be more effective and efficient than ever in our processes and interventions. In this effort, it is crucial to continue to work towards achieving greater alliance, coordination and synergy in the strategies and programs of our agencies in the region," explained for his part Joaquín Lozano, Director of IFAD's Regional Division.

The three agencies indicate that at the beginning, they will place a strong emphasis on Haiti, which has the highest rate of people affected by hunger and poverty in the region and faces multiple environmental challenges that prevent it from advancing. towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These Agencies undertake to publish a joint annual report to report the concrete results of the alliance both to the authorities of the countries in which they operate and to other countries in the region, in order to enhance transparency in terms of improving rates of malnutrition and poverty.

HL/ HaitiLibre