KABUL, Afghanistan – Mothers and children in Afghanistan are bearing the brunt of a surging malnutrition emergency, as converging crises — economic distress, regional conflict, mass returns from Pakistan and Iran, and deep cuts to humanitarian funding — overwhelm an already stretched response, warned the UN World Food Programme’s Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau at the end of a visit to the country.
During a high-level roundtable, FAO, IFAD, and WFP underscored the need to prepare for extreme climate events.
Santiago, Chile/Panama City, Panama –The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP) are strengthening coordination and support for the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean in response to El Niño forecasts.
DAMASCUS/ROME/CAIRO – Critical funding shortfalls are forcing the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to significantly scale back its operations in Syria. WFP has reduced its emergency food assistance by 50 percent, from 1.3 million people to 650,000 in May, and halted a nationwide bread subsidy programme that has supported millions daily.
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warn that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to face one of the world’s largest and most severe hunger crises.
This is a summary of what was said by the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Assistant Executive Director, Matthew Hollingworth, to whom quoted text may be attributed – at a press briefing in Geneva today.
ROME, Italy – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of EUR 10 million from the Government of Spain to help meet urgent needs amid worsening food insecurity driven by conflict and the ripple effect of the escalation in the Middle East.
Belmopan, BELIZE – The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries, in collaboration with the National Meteorological Services and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has activated Belize’s Anticipatory Action (AA) mechanism for drought, following a forecast indicating an increase likelihood of below-average rainfall for the upcoming season. Pre‑identified farmers in the drought‑prone districts of Orange Walk, Corozal, and Cayo in Belize will receive anticipatory cash assistance ahead of the forecasted drought. This early support will enable farmers to take proactive measures, such as investing in water‑storage equipment, drought‑tolerant seeds, or irrigation supplies, enabling them to protect their crops, safeguard their livelihoods, and reduce the impacts of the expected dry conditions before they occur.
VIENTIANE, Lao PDR – The SEADRIF Insurance Company and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have introduced an innovative, impact-based disaster risk insurance policy in Lao PDR. The policy provides pre-arranged financing of up to US$1.1 million to enable timely support to communities affected by extreme weather and other natural hazards. It complements the government's existing sovereign policy, which provides financial protection for national disaster response efforts.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – A new implementation research study led by Addis Ababa University (AAU), in collaboration with Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health (MOH) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), finds that treating Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) can be effectively integrated into Ethiopia’s Health Extension Program - bringing essential nutrition services closer to children and families.
N’DJAMENA, Chad – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced 28-year-old Chadian taekwondo star Casimir Betel as a High-Level Supporter for its work in Chad. Betel will use his platform and reach among young athletes, sports enthusiasts and local community members in Chad and across Africa to raise awareness of the impacts of acute hunger and WFP’s work.
YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of USD 713,333 (393.6 million FCFA) from the Government of Japan to provide urgent food assistance to 22,600 vulnerable people in Cameroon’s Far North and Adamawa regions.
DHAKA, Bangladesh - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has activated its anticipatory action (AA) response to deliver lifesaving cash assistance to communities at risk of severe flooding in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts, Sylhet Division, in the northeastern haor region of Bangladesh.
MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) thanks the Governments of Belgium, Canada, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar and Switzerland for USD 18.7 million in vital flexible funding for emergency food aid in Somalia. This will enable WFP to continue supporting thousands of drought-affected Somalis with lifesaving food assistance through July. Earlier this year, WFP faced a serious funding shortfall that threatened to halt its humanitarian operations in Somalia in April.
Conflict and displacement drive worsening crisis, with risk of famine in hardest-hit areas; nearly 700,000 children in danger of severe and deadly malnutrition
GODE, Ethiopia - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the Government of Ethiopia, the German embassy, and KfW Development Bank, today, inaugurated a solar-powered irrigation scheme in Gode, Somali Region - an investment designed to boost year-round food production and help drought-prone communities better withstand climate shocks.
• Emergency food and nutrition: WFP will deliver life saving food assistance including fortified and ready-to-use foods to prevent malnutrition amongst the most vulnerable
• School meals expansion: Funding enables WFP to extend its school meals programme by 100,000 children, primarily in areas of the capital affected by conflict
• Hurricane preparedness: 3,300 metric tonnes of food commodities prepositioned as emergency reserves for 2026 hurricane season
PORT-AU-PRINCE – Through the generous support of the United States Government, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will deliver emergency food assistance to at least 390,000 people over the next 18 months.
ROME, Italy – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced Lucy Hale — world-renowned actress and producer — as its newest global Goodwill Ambassador. In this role, she will advocate on behalf of the more than 318 million people facing extreme hunger. As the daughter of a Tennessee farmer and a nurse, Hale is a strong advocate for women and children and cares deeply about food security, small-scale farmers, and children’s health and education.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – With new data showing more than half of all Haitians continue to face acute food insecurity, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently calling for support to protect recent fragile gains in the fight against hunger and to foster stability in the struggling Caribbean nation.
This is a transcript of what was said on April 16th by Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director, at the 113th Meeting of the World Bank Group Development Committee in Washington D.C. – to whom quoted text may be attributed
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of US$2 million from the Government of Japan to support vulnerable communities affected by disasters across Pakistan.
THIMPHU, Bhutan: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) have signed a US$9.5 million agreement to improve access to nutritious school meals for more than 100,000 children in Bhutan, while strengthening local food production and rural livelihoods.
MOGADISHU – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) expresses its sincere appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous USD 4.5 million contribution through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief). This support enabled WFP to provide nutrition assistance to more than 180,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in Somalia, helping to prevent malnutrition.
