Lula launches alliance to combat world hunger as Brazil hosts G20

Brazil's President Lula Da Silva delivers a speech during the opening session of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has opened the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro with the launch of an alliance to combat hunger, which he described as the “ultimate symbol of our collective tragedy”.

Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the group and is hosting the meeting this Monday and Tuesday, attended by all but two – Russia and Saudi Arabia – of the 19 member countries.