President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) defended this Monday (13) the adoption of a 2% global tax on the assets of the super-rich to raise funds to end hunger on the planet. His statement was at the opening of the World Food Forum, in Rome (Italy).
Lula said that “673 million people are in a situation of food insecurity. Based on data from the World Food Program, it is possible to estimate that guaranteeing three meals a day to these people would cost around 315 billion dollars. This represents 12% of the 2.7 trillion dollars consumed annually spent on weapons. By establishing a 2% global tax on the assets of the super-rich we would obtain this amount.”
According to the president, it is not possible to separate food insecurity from the division between rich and poor, men and women and rich and developing countries. Lula also stated that few initiatives would contribute more to the fight against hunger than a “reform of the international financial architecture”.
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On the platform of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Lula defended mechanisms to help countries facing large-scale food insecurity, such as reducing loans, improving the tax system and relieving debts in poor countries.
“It is possible to overcome hunger through government action, but governments can only act if they have the means. Expanding financing for development, reducing loan costs, improving tax systems and alleviating the debts of the poorest countries are crucial measures. It is not enough to produce, it is necessary to distribute”, said Lula.
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Furthermore, he stated that it is necessary for governments to “put the poor in the budget” and refuted criticisms that associate public policies with welfare practices. The PT member also echoed multilateralism and said that hunger is the sister of war, including tax. He, however, did not mention the global tariff imposed by United States President Donald Trump.
Lula also praised the FAO and said that the United Nations entity will be indispensable as long as hunger is still a reality in the countries. He, however, said he recognized both the capacity for collective action and the optimism of heads of state were “shaken”.
COP30
When speaking about COP30, which will be held in Belém do Pará, in November, Lula defended that countries redouble cooperation to face climate challenges and that this must go hand in hand with the fight against hunger and poverty. The PT member also suggested adapting food systems to the new climate reality, but warned that this would require a lot of resources from rich countries.
