Although wars fuel hunger in too many corners of the world, from Mali to Myanmar, nowhere is the choice between inaction and oblivion as clear as in Gaza and Sudan, the high representative warned in a statement.

Griffiths recalled that half of Gaza’s population –more than a million people– could face death and hunger by mid-July as a result of the Israeli offensive.

Meanwhile, in Sudan, at least five million people are also on the brink of famine, including in war-torn areas of Aj Jazirah, Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan.

A few hours before the start of the G7 Summit, the Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs asked its members to provide influence and funding so that aid organizations can reach all people in need.

Waiting for an official declaration of famine before acting would be a death sentence for hundreds of thousands of people and a moral outrage, he added.

“G7 countries must immediately leverage their significant political influence and financial resources so that aid organizations can reach all people in need,” he further said.

We must move large amounts of humanitarian assistance across borders and battle lines today, and mobilize significant funding to sustain the response tomorrow, he said.

According to the vice president, it is imperative to stop feeding the war machines that are starving civilians in Gaza and Sudan.

“Instead, it is time to prioritize diplomacy that will give people their future back, and tomorrow the G7 will be in charge,” he insisted.

The G7 Summit is organized this year by the Italian Presidency of the bloc that brings together Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The event will be held in Borgo Egnazia with a conflict-laden agenda, which includes spaces for wars in Gaza and Sudan; relations with developing countries and emerging economies; as well as artificial intelligence and migration.

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