Famine should not happen in the modern era- anywhere. It can be prevented, but timing is everything.
Three years ago, with four separate regions of the world facing famine, a robust, albeit delayed, humanitarian response involving national and international organisations, UN agencies and governments helped to avert catastrophe.
That is not always the case.
The severe East African drought of 2011 - which led to the most devastating famines of the 21st century, with over a quarter of a million deaths, mostly in Somalia- could have been prevented if humanitarian access was guaranteed and the response was well-resourced and rapidly scaled up.
By the time famine is declared, it is, by definition, too late. Somalia was a horrific lesson in that regard, and the collective failure to prevent a famine at the time gave rise to additional warning systems and humanitarian programme modifications that seek to enable a ‘no-regrets’ approach to emergency nutrition.
Almost a decade on however, as the world’s attention is focused on Covid-19, and as access to populations has been further constrained by the pandemic, we are at risk of slipping into catastrophe by delaying a response at the scale that is necessary.
The wider issue driving these levels of hunger is conflict itself, something that still supersedes Covid-19 and even climate change in terms of its effect on hunger levels. After decades of progressive decline, global hunger has been rising since 2015 and a global surge in conflict is the main driver of this increase.
Ireland has its own deep experience of hunger, unique in Europe, and that history has afforded us an empathy and solidarity with the world’s poorest. And as Ireland begins its term on the United Nations Security Council at a time of global uncertainty and increasing hardship there is an the opportunity to action this national empathy on a global policy level.
The passing of UN resolution 2417 in 2018 at the Council, which condemns the starving of civilians as a method of warfare as well as the unlawful denial of humanitarian access to civilian populations was a critical watershed acknowledgement of the direct link between war and hunger.
Ireland now has a timely opportunity to build momentum for accountability, adherence to the resolution and overall protection of civilians in conflict. It won’t be easy and it is impossible to ignore the role of first world countries in weapons production and sale. These same countries are often those that offer a sticking plaster of aid to communities that are falling apart at the seams due to decades of conflict, suffering and hunger.
Combatting hunger is a key and logical entry point for Ireland on the Security Council and something that would undoubtedly be supported at home. The recent RTÉ/ UCC documentary on the Famine, seen by a wide audience across the country, provided a visceral illustration of the true nature of starvation and societal collapse that goes with famine. It also reminded us of the ferocious injustice experienced by ordinary people caught up in wider issues of starvation tied to political neglect.
These issues remain as true now in South Sudan and in other parts of the world as they did for Ireland in the mid-19th century. Ireland suffered when no one acted. We are at the same point in the world today with famine declared and further threatened and where a humanitarian intervention is needed on a far greater scale.
At the start of 2021, our choices and our actions matter more than ever. If we are to build a world without famine and devastating hunger, we cannot ignore those who will simply starve while no one seems to be watching.
This op-ed was originally published in The Sunday Business Post on 5 January 2021.