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Bread for the World Urges House Committee to Support U.S. Global Hunger Initiative
October 29, 2009Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann today urged members of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health to make ending hunger, child and maternal health, and a reformed U.S. foreign aid system with an empowered, distinct development voice their top priorities. Beckmann, co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN), testified this morning during a hearing in Congress. He said that over the past two years, there has been a dramatic increase in hunger as food and fuel prices rose and the global recession pushed millions of people into extreme poverty. "I am heartened that the Obama administration recognizes that in addition to addressing emergency needs, we must also focus on creating long-term sustainable solutions to ending hunger and poverty," he said. Beckmann expressed his strong support for the U.S. Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, calling it "a tremendous first step toward a global initiative that rallies the support of governments and people around the world." He praised the principles of the initiative, which form a blueprint for broader reform of U.S. foreign assistance. The principles include country-led plans, enhanced strategic coordination, and transparent and accountable evaluation systems. Full release.