On Sunday 26 September, the European Union pledged €140 million to support research into sustainable food systems and the fight against world hunger, and a further €25 million for the UN’s ‘Education Cannot Wait’ initiative, which supports education for children living in conflict and crisis situations.
The announcement was made by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at Global Citizen Live in Paris - a 24-hour live concert, broadcast to over 100 countries, featuring over 70 artists and organised by the NGO Global Citizen to raise awareness on climate change, vaccine equity, and the fight against poverty.
The €140 million will go to the CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) - a global partnership of international organisations, including 15 research centres, donors and advisory bodies.
In a statement, the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, underlines that the EU, its Member States and its financial institutions (Team Europe) have so far contributed more than 40% of the funding for the ‘Education Cannot Wait’ initiative and that “the new contribution of €25 million will allow the EU to reach the most vulnerable children and bring them back to education”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)