In Italy, a global food summit ended Wednesday with no firm commitments to end world hunger. A vague declaration vowed to address famine “at the earliest possible date.” The meeting was hampered by a lack of high-level involvement from world leaders, including the United States.

Oxfam spokesperson Gawain Kripke: “It’s a big disappointment that the leaders from the biggest and richest countries didn’t come to the World Food Summit. We did have some heads of state come to the meeting and make statements, but there was a notable absence of the biggest and richest. And without them, it’s hard to imagine how the world will attack these challenges of hunger and increasing agricultural productivity.”