Some 733 million people around the globe still experience chronic hunger – in other words, almost one in ten people is undernourished. Armed conflicts and climate crisis impacts continue to cause ever more people to go hungry. Vulnerable and marginalised groups are particularly badly hit.

For example, 1.8 million people in Gaza are currently affected by acute food insecurity, although relief could be provided. The German Government tirelessly advocates more humanitarian access, so that the people on the ground can get the help they so desperately need. The Israeli Government must urgently allow more humanitarian supplies into Gaza. We will not relax our efforts to this end. This is why we are also campaigning for a lasting ceasefire.

In the Sudan, too, the situation is dire. In parts of North Darfur, the people are experiencing famine. This sheds a cruel light on the situation in the Sudan, where more than half the population – 26 million people – are experiencing hunger and malnutrition. Here, too, the German Government is providing considerable assistance. In 2024 alone, Germany made available 244 million euro to supply the people in the Sudan and affected neighbouring states with food, water and medicines. As part of the comprehensive diplomatic efforts, the German Government is campaigning for a ceasefire and better access to people on the ground.

In spite of this disastrous situation, the funds for humanitarian assistance are being cut back worldwide, and unfortunately in Germany, too. We must ensure that we are still able to offer effective assistance to all people who are in acute need and rely on food aid. Germany is actively working to broaden the donor base, to increase efficiency in the humanitarian system, to strengthen local capacities and to dovetail humanitarian assistance with stabilisation measures and development cooperation, in order to address needs and, in the long term, to reduce demands on the system.

At the same time, Germany is and remains the world’s second-largest humanitarian donor, despite the cuts to the humanitarian budget. Last year alone, the German Government made available some 3.4 billion euro for food security efforts.

Within the framework of our humanitarian diplomacy, we will continue to work to ensure that the basic conditions are in place to enable humanitarian assistance to be provided: humanitarian personnel must be given access to crisis areas and must be protected. Their work is vital for the survival of millions of people worldwide who are exposed to hunger.