Carl Skau Assumes Role of Acting Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme

Since May 2023, Skau has served as WFP’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer; roles that he will retain during this transitional period. He has travelled extensively this past year to Afghanistan, Sudan, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Palestine, speaking with WFP frontline staff, people in need, government counterparts, and partners. 

Skau will lead the organization at a moment when humanitarian needs are surging, global crises are multiplying, and the resources required to respond have fallen precipitously short. Unprecedented levels of acute hunger driven by man-made conflict, mass displacement, economic shocks and extreme weather events have put the food security of more than 360 million people at risk. 

For families already in dire circumstances, WFP’s leadership and ability to deliver at scale have never been more critical. Skau will continue to advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable as he leads WFP’s frontline teams around the world.

A Swedish national with more than 25 years of experience in diplomacy, humanitarian affairs and development, Skau previously headed Multilateral Partnerships at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and served as Sweden’s Ambassador and Alternate Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York during the country’s term on the UN Security Council. Skau began his career with UNHCR and UNDP.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.