“Hunger is an outrage in a world of plenty”, the UN chief told the governing body of the Organization’s food agency, highlighting the important role of food security in cementing peace. More
Tag Archives: WFP
Urgent need to strengthen food systems as COVID-19 drives up numbers of hungry people worldwide
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today joins its sister agencies in calling for global action to improve the systems that produce and distribute the food we eat, so that they can better withstand shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic that can spark alarming surges in the level of hunger in the world.
In many countries, the socio-economic effects of the pandemic – particularly loss of earnings and remittances – are heightening existing threats linked to conflict and climate change. The number of acutely hungry people in the world could increase by more than 100 million this year, according to WFP estimates. For particularly fragile countries, a slide towards famine is a real risk. Continue reading
Australia supports WFP’s humanitarian air services across the pacific to aid Covid-19 response
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of AUD$3 million (US$1.96 million) from the Government of Australia to kickstart humanitarian air operations in the Pacific. Continue reading
Myanmar: In cyclone-struck rural areas, poorest people face highest food insecurity risk
More than seven months after Cyclone Komen struck Myanmar, poor rural communities are still enduring increased levels of food insecurity, according to a UN report released today. In particular, people in the hardest-hit areas of Chin and Rakhine state – already vulnerable to begin with – are still suffering, which serves to highlight their vulnerability to withstand similar emergencies in the future. Continue reading
UN food relief now reaching more than 400,000 flood victims in Myanmar
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is now delivering rice, beans, cooking oil and salt to more than 400,000 people affected by flooding in Myanmar and “reachable only on foot, after floods and landslides destroyed roads across the country,” the agency said today. More than 1.7 million people in Myanmar have been affected Continue reading
Food Reaches All Cyclone-Affected Islands In Vanuatu
Two weeks after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu, food has reached all 22 cyclone-affected islands for more than 160,000 people. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting the government-led relief effort by organizing distributions, logistics services, and providing extra food to supplement government food packages where necessary.
UN responds to massive displacement of Iraqis from Mosul
The Secretary-General has strongly condemned the upsurge in violence in Iraq at the hands of terrorist groups including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which have reportedly taken control of the cities of Mosul, Tuz Khourmatu, Beiji and Tikrit. UN Agencies have stepped up aid efforts to assist the displaced peoples.
Joint statement by heads of UN humanitarian agencies on Syria
A joint statement by Valerie Amos, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator; Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Antonio Guterres at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR); Margaret Chan of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and Ertharin Cousin of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) calls urgently on Syrian authorities and the opposition to allow aid access, end siege warfare and halt the indiscriminate bombing of civilians: Continue reading
Global Brands Power Up For World Food Day
World Food Day is on October 16 and throughout the month, WFP’s partner companies are hosting a raft of events, rallying employees and clients to our common cause: ending hunger. Donate a meal, buy a cookbook, watch hunger stop. The calls to action are being delivered on T-shirts, mobile phone applications and New York billboards. Through cookbook sales in the Continue reading
Syrian Crisis: United Nations Response – Update No.4
On 8 August, the Secretary-General hosted a working dinner for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the conflict in Syria, including the escalating humanitarian crisis and the rise in sectarian violence. During the discussion, the Secretary-General further underscored the need to find a political solution to the crisis and to urgently renew momentum for the Continue reading