JOHANNESBURG, November 22. /TASS/. The G20 countries have condemned the deliberate use of hunger as a tool of war and declared such actions by conflicting parties unacceptable, according to a joint declaration by G20 leaders adopted at the summit in Johannesburg.
"We reaffirm our commitment to uphold international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and reiterate that intentional starvation of civilians should not be used as a method of warfare," the document states.
The declaration notes that, despite the efforts of the global community, up to 720 million people worldwide continued to face hunger in 2024. The situation remains tense this year, partly due to ongoing armed conflicts. The G20 countries committed to improving global food supply chains, opposing discriminatory food trade practices, and enhancing food accessibility for the most vulnerable populations.
The G20 Summit is taking place on November 22-23 in Johannesburg. At the initiative of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the joint declaration was adopted at the start of the meeting rather than at the end. All G20 member countries except the US are participating. The Russian delegation is led by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin.