Thank you, Madam Chair.
- Let me also thank all panellists for sharing valuable insights.
- An unprecedented number of conflicts, combined with climate-induced extreme weather events and economic factors have resulted in record high numbers of people on the brink of famine.
- For the first time since recording began, we have seen two famine situations ongoing at the same time: Sudan and Gaza.
- With weather events becoming more frequents and conflicts more protracted, the challenges are bound to increase and the lines between acute humanitarian response, anticipatory actions. and long-term resilience efforts and peace building will blur. As mentioned by many panellists and from the floor today: Humanitarian response alone will not be enough. We need to build resilience and adress root causes. And: International Humanitarian Law must be respected.
- These complex and intertwined challenges, combined with considerable funding cuts, makes it necessary for the UN-system to reorganize and reform.
- Norway stands ready to contribute to a system which, to a larger degree than today, plans, coordinates and delivers together, with a larger degree of cooperation between different funds and programs, but also between the UN and other humanitarian, development and peace actors, and not the least with the people and governments of the countries where they operate.
- The goal is to meet urgent needs at speed and scale, and then, as quickly as possible, enable agency and self sufficiency of the affected communities.
- For Norway, food security and nutrition are not just development goals—they are cornerstones of peacebuilding, protection of civillians, and progress. We must approach these issues holistically and with urgency. When we invest in food systems that nourish communities, we also strengthen the foundations of health, dignity, and resilience—especially for women and girls, whose well-being is central to sustainable development and a priority for Norway.
- When food security and nutrition are deprioritized, we risk triggering a downward spiral. Millions living with uncertain access to food can be pushed into acute hunger crises. This is not just a humanitarian concern; it is a global stability issue.
- That is why Norway calls for integrated action.
- Together we must advocate for agriculture to be appropriately represented in humanitarian appeals, cluster leadership and desicion platforms
- We must work together to ensure that food security and nutrition remain at the heart of our collective efforts. Because when we nourish people, we empower them. And when we empower people, we build peace.
Thank you.