Deputy Secretary-General's opening remarks to the 7th Global Humanitarian Policy Forum [as delivered].

Excellencies, distinguished panelists, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to open the 7th Global Humanitarian Policy Forum, on the theme: 'Solutions for Humanity: Creating Opportunities for those Furthest Behind.'

Global humanitarian needs have risen over the past decade, despite economic and development gains.

Yemen is at the brink of famine, and Ebola is resurging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Cross-border displacements increase due to conflict and terrorism.

The number of people experiencing crisis-level food insecurity has risen to 124 million.

Some 2 billion people still lack safe drinking water -- more than a quarter of the world.

Global hunger has increased for a third consecutive year. Almost one in nine people suffer from hunger.

We have just launched our Global Humanitarian Overview for 2019. Needs continue to rise, and the gap between those needs and the supply of aid is also growing.

Some 132 million people will need aid and protection in 42 countries around the world. Most are women and girls.

Thanks to the generosity of donors and the courage and commitment of humanitarian workers, we continue to support millions of people in need around the world. In Yemen alone, WFP is providing aid to more than seven million people every month.

But this fire-fighting approach is not sustainable.

We should be trying to prevent these crises from happening in the first place, rather than helping people to survive them once they erupt.

We need political solutions; and we need to invest in sustainable development to resolve and prevent crises - of all kinds.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our blueprint for long-term investment in strong States and resilient societies - and our best tool to prevent crisis and exit existing crises.

The SDGs represent a universal commitment to leave no one behind and to reach those furthest behind first. They also tackle the root causes of crisis, which often lie in competition over power and resources, inequality and exclusion, unmet aspirations, the marginalization of women, young people and minority groups, poor governance, and the instrumentalization of ethnic and religious divisions.

They have transformed the way we look at development in humanitarian crisis situations.

They recognize that among the most vulnerable are refugees, internally displaced people and migrants, who are among those at greatest risk of deprivation and abuse.

They also...

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