Global Citizen and IFAD announce partnership to mobilize billions of dollars to help end extreme poverty and hunger

(Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - New York, NY) - International advocacy organization Global Citizen today announced a partnership with the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) as part of Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream. Both organizations are calling on world leaders to help mobilize new investments in rural and agricultural development. With an additional $10 billion, 100 million rural people could be lifted out of extreme poverty and hunger.

2020 marks five years of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and 10 years until their 2030 deadline. This year, Global Citizen will be offering a platform and visibility for governments through its Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream campaign, in partnership with Teneo. This will support IFAD’s Twelfth Replenishment, the process whereby its Member States commit additional resources.

By showcasing bold political and financial commitments that support the development of rural and agricultural growth, the campaign will catalyze Global Citizens to take actions that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, feed a growing world and prevent and respond to the climate change crisis.

With the vast majority of the world’s hungry people living in rural areas, global food security can only be improved by focusing on transforming rural communities and food systems to make them more inclusive, productive and resilient. IFAD, the only multilateral institution exclusively focused on rural areas, is therefore uniquely placed to help support the United Nations’ Global Goal 2: Zero Hunger.

“Global leaders have committed to ending hunger by 2030. Unfortunately, since 2015 progress has stalled, and hunger is again on the rise. More than 820 million people go to bed hungry each night,” said Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. “We won’t end hunger unless we invest in small-scale producers and in transforming the rural communities in which they live.”

Michael Sheldrick, Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer, Global Policy and Government Affairs, Global Citizen continued, “We simply cannot end extreme poverty across the world without alleviating rural poverty through sound investments in agriculture and by empowering marginalized groups. Through our partnership with IFAD, and our 2020 campaign, ‘Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream’ we will call on major donor governments to double their investments in order to reach the poorest and most marginalized people around the world in support of United Nations’ Global Goal 2: Zero Hunger.”

The campaign will culminate on September 26, 2020, with an historic 10-hour global broadcast event spanning six locations. Currently announced events include, Central Park in New York City; Lagos, Nigeria; Seoul, South Korea; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with events in to-be-announced cities in Latin America and Europe.

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PR/13/2020 

About International Fund For Agricultural Development:

IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided US$22.4 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached an estimated 512 million people. IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub.

About Global Goal Live:

Global Citizen's 2020 campaign - Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream, in partnership with Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, is a year-long campaign to get the world back on track to achieve the United Nations Global Goals, a roadmap to end extreme poverty, tackle climate change, and reduce inequality by 2030 as agreed to by all 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015. Working alongside, and in support of the United Nations, this campaign will call on governments, philanthropists, and the private sector to take responsibility for the goals and provide the $350 billion needed annually for people and the planet to achieve the Global Goals in the poorest countries. These new funding commitments will address human capital, gender equality, and sustainability.

About Global Citizen:

Global Citizen is the world's largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty by 2030. With over 10 million monthly advocates, our voices have the power to drive lasting change around sustainability, equality, and humanity. We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen to act—government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens—together improving lives. By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards, which can be redeemed for tickets to concerts, events, and experiences all over the world. To date, the actions of our community, along with high-level advocacy efforts and work with partners, has resulted in commitments and policy announcements from leaders valued at over $48 billion, affecting the lives of more than 2.25 billion people by 2030. For more information visit www.globalcitizen.org.

About Teneo:

Teneo is the global CEO advisory firm. Working exclusively with the CEOs and senior executives of the world's leading companies, Teneo provides strategic counsel across their full range of key objectives and issues. Integrating the disciplines of strategic communications, investor relations, digital advisory, diversity & inclusion, management consulting, physical & cyber risk advisory, financial advisory, corporate governance advisory, political & policy risk advisory, and talent advisory, Teneo solves for the world’s most complex business challenges and opportunities. The firm has more than 800 employees located in 20 offices around the world. For more information on Teneo, please visit www.teneo.com.