FAO to G8: Fulfill $20 Billion Pledges To Fight Hunger

November 16, 2009 11:47 a.m. EST

Rome, Italy (AHN) - The Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday reminded the Group of Eight economies to fulfill its $20 billion pledges to fight hunger in poor countries.

Speaking at the opening of the World Food Summit at the FAO headquarters in Rome, FAO chief Jacques Diouf said the G8 pledges made in a similar summit in July have yet to materialize ahead of the sowing season in March.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who opened the summit, told 60 heads of states attending the summit that they must act to stop five million children from dying from hunger each year.

Pope Benedict XVI also spoke during the three-day summit emphasizing Vatican's role in the fight against global hunger. "Hunger is the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty. Opulence and waste are no longer acceptable when the tragedy of hunger is assuming ever greater proportions. ... The Catholic Church will always be concerned for efforts to defeat hunger," said the Pope.