New York [US], May 19 (ANI): Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan engaged in discussions with the Foreign AffairsInternational Cooperation Minister of Zambia, Stanley Kakubo on Thursday on the sidelines of the high-level Ministerial meeting on "Global Food Security- Call to Action" in New York.

Taking to Twitter, the Union Minister said, "Had fruitful discussion with H.E. Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign AffairsInternational Cooperation of Zambia on sidelines of Ministerial Meeting on Global Food Security-Call to Action'. Discussed wide range of issues covering entire gamut of our bilateral cooperation."During his speech, Muraleedharan expressed his concern over global food insecurity pointing out that according to a report by Global Report on Food Crises, 139 million people had suffered across the world from conflict-induced acute food insecurity. He further stated that this situation is a severe issue and it can't be neglected.

In addition, Muraleedharan said that India is strongly committed to the cause of global food security and has also contributed to the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in response to various humanitarian crises over the years.

In reference to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka's acute economic crisis, the Union Minister of State in his speech said, "India will play its due role in advancing global food security. And it will do so in a manner in which it will uphold equity, display compassion and promotes social justice." (ANI)