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European Commission Pledges €7.7 Billion to Combat Global Food Crisis and Support Sustainable Investments

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, concluded a week of discussions with world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York, reiterating the EU's commitment to helping vulnerable partners deal with the social and economic fallout of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU has pledged €715 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, and announced additional funding for addressing the global food security crisis, sustainable investments, and support for sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European Commission has pledged a total of €7.7 billion to support global food security and food systems by 2024, including €2.2 billion in immediate humanitarian food and nutrition assistance and €5 billion to be invested in sustainable food systems in the medium to long term.
  • €600 million has been redirected from the 10th and 11th European Development Funds to finance immediate humanitarian aid and support sustainable food production and resilience of food systems in vulnerable partner countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific.
  • €45 million has been allocated for supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide, with a focus on delivering modern contraceptives and life-saving maternal health medicines to women and adolescents in need.
  • €715 million has been pledged to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria for the period 2023-2025, bringing the total Team Europe contribution to more than €4.3 billion.
  • A new record pledge of €715 million to the Global Fund is expected to save a further 20 million lives, avert more than 450 million infections, and cut the death rate from HIV, TB, and malaria by 64% by 2025.
  • €7 billion will be invested in biodiversity protection worldwide, including support for partner countries in Africa to combine nature preservation with socio-economic development and efforts to restore one million hectares of land in Africa.

Statistics:

  • €7.7 billion: Total EU support to global food security and food systems by 2024
  • €2.2 billion: Immediate humanitarian food and nutrition assistance for vulnerable countries
  • €5 billion: Investment in sustainable food systems in the medium to long term
  • €600 million: Redirected from the 10th and 11th European Development Funds for humanitarian aid and food system support
  • €45 million: EU contribution to supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide
  • €715 million: Pledge to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria for 2023-2025
  • 20 million: Additional lives expected to be saved by the Global Fund by 2025
  • 450 million: Infections expected to be averted by the Global Fund by 2025
  • 64%: Reduction in death rate from HIV, TB, and malaria expected by the Global Fund by 2025
  • €7 billion: EU investment in biodiversity protection worldwide
  • 1 million hectares: Land restoration efforts supported by the EU in Africa
  • 500,000 households: Beneficiaries of land restoration efforts in Africa

Sources:

  • European Commission press release
  • UNFPA press release
  • European Commission's website on Global Biodiversity Framework
  • European Commission's website on NaturAfrica initiative

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