UN Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Threats to International Peace and Security – Conflict-Related Food Insecurity
New York, 17 November 2025
Mr. President, Excellencies,
My delegation welcomes this important debate and the opportunity it provides to address the critical issue of conflict-related hunger. We also acknowledge the briefers for their insights and for their tireless efforts to alleviate human suffering in conflict settings.
Cyprus fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union and would like to add the following remarks in its national capacity.
Conflict-related hunger and food insecurity are devastating but also preventable. They are not natural disasters, but the direct outcomes of political failure, instability, and the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law. When access to food, water, and medical care is deliberately denied, the impact on civilians, particularly children, is catastrophic and long-lasting.
Security Council Resolution 2417 reaffirmed that starvation must never be used as a method of warfare. Yet, across numerous conflicts, we continue to witness restrictions on humanitarian access, the destruction of vital infrastructure, and intolerable risks faced by those striving to deliver life-saving assistance.
Excellencies,
International humanitarian law provides a robust framework to safeguard civilians and to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those in need. Its principles are universal, binding upon all parties to conflict, and must be upheld as a legal and moral duty.
At the same time, we must broaden the global dialogue on conflict and hunger, recognizing that food insecurity is both a consequence and a catalyst of conflict. Prolonged hunger, the loss of livelihoods, and inequitable access to resources can exacerbate tensions, fuel displacement, and undermine social cohesion. Addressing food insecurity is therefore critical not only for humanitarian relief, but for building and sustaining peace.
We must therefore work collectively to restore and reinforce respect for international humanitarian law and to integrate food security into our peace and security agenda. This includes:
- Guaranteeing safe, sustained, and unhindered humanitarian access to all people affected by conflict;
- Protecting humanitarian and medical personnel, as well as the facilities and supply routes that enable them to carry out their vital work;
- Ensuring accountability for violations of international humanitarian law, including the deliberate obstruction of aid or the use of starvation as a weapon;
- Providing predictable and flexible funding to sustain humanitarian operations, particularly those addressing child nutrition and food insecurity in the most vulnerable communities.
Mr. President,
Humanitarian workers are on the front lines, confronting danger to deliver aid and preserve human dignity. Their dedication to serving others, often at great personal risk, deserves our deepest respect and our firm commitment to their protection. The international community must stand united in ensuring that they can carry out their work safely, impartially, and without fear.
Ultimately, preventing hunger in conflict is not solely a humanitarian challenge, it is a political responsibility. Sustainable solutions depend on our collective efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, to uphold international law, and to ensure that food security becomes a foundation for sustainable peace. By addressing food insecurity as both a humanitarian and a peacebuilding priority, we can help break the vicious cycle between hunger and conflict.
Excellencies,
Let this Council reaffirm that famine is preventable, that respect for international humanitarian law is non-negotiable, and that the protection of humanitarian workers and the promotion of food security are essential to preserving our common humanity and building a more peaceful and resilient world.
Thank you, Mr. President.