News releases

NOUAKCHOTT – Today, BMZ, UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP ended a five-day visit to Mauritania that included Ministerial-level discussions and a field trip to Hodh Chargui. It is the first time that the four agencies have undertaken such a visit, which provided deep insights into the results that can be achieved when humanitarian, development and peace actors collaborate in mitigating shocks and building resilience in communities affected by forced displacement and climatic shocks.

VIENTIANE, 30 November 2022 - H.E. Cindy McCain, United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rome-based agencies today concluded her visit to Lao PDR, where the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are working together to improve food security, nutrition and resilience of Lao families and communities.

LONDON – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today announced Asma Khan, owner of Darjeeling Express and star of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, has been appointed WFP Chef Advocate

MUNICH – Seven start-ups competing for up to US$100,000 in equity-free funding from the United Nations World Food Programme Innovation accelerator, showcased their new technologies to tackle hunger and the climate crisis, at a global pitch event in Munich, Germany.

N’DJAMENA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warned today of an imminent cut to food assistance to crisis-affected refugees in Chad unless urgent funding to bridge major funding shortfalls is received imminently.

ROME - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the multi-platinum certified global star Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, a U.N. World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador, today announced that since launching their XO Humanitarian Fund in March 2022, US$5 million has been raised and pledged to provide food and support to millions of people experiencing hunger across the globe. The Weeknd presented a cheque to WFP USA during a private event at his After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour concert in Los Angeles.

COLOMBO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka welcomed a contribution of EUR 500,000 (approximately LKR 190 million) from France towards its emergency response for children and families affected by the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. Around 9,000 families facing high levels of food insecurity will receive nutritious foods to help them feed their under-five children.

KINSHASA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has reached some 1.2 million vulnerable people with US$ 17.5 million cash assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) this year thanks in part to a contribution from the European Union (EU).

ADDIS ABABA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered over 2,400 metric tons of food, medical, nutrition and other lifesaving supplies to Ethiopia’s Tigray region following the signing of a peace agreement earlier this month and the reopening of all four road corridors. However, deliveries of assistance within Tigray are not matching the needs and WFP and its cooperating partners urgently need access to all parts of the region to deliver food and nutrition assistance to 2.3 million vulnerable people.

VIENTIANE – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today launched a new project for school children funded by the Government of China through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).

CARACAS - The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), David Beasley, concluded a two-day visit to Venezuela where he met President Nicolas Maduro and consolidated the expansion of the WFP’s footprint in the country to reach 1 million children in 2023.

NADI – A chartered flight bound for Tuvalu left Fiji today carrying 500kg of medical supplies as well as health experts to support the country’s response to its first wave of community transmission of COVID-19. The flight was chartered by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) through its Pacific Humanitarian Air Service.

ALGIERS – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a €5.8 million (US$ 6 million) humanitarian grant from the European Union (EU) to cover the basic food needs of Sahrawi refugees living in Tindouf in south-west Algeria.

Addis Ababa, 21 November 2022 - The European Union (EU), through its partnership with UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has granted €33 million (1.8 billion Ethiopian Birr) to restore education services and implement school feeding programmes so children living in conflict-affected areas in Ethiopia can get back to learning.

DUSHANBE – The Government of Tajikistan, the milling industry and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today held a national roundtable on the implementation of the national food fortification law and the next steps to further expand wheat flour fortification in the country.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH – The Partnership for Central America (PCA), the World Bank (WB), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) launched today the “Disaster Risk Insurance and Finance in Central America Consortium” (DRIFCA) to identify and support climate-related agricultural insurance solutions for up to 2 million smallholder farmers in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to increase their food security and financial resilience. The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided support for regional feasibility studies to be undertaken by the World Bank.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH – The United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Bank signed an agreement today to scale up disaster risk protection financed by Germany and the United Kingdom for vulnerable communities and nations faced with catastrophic climate extremes like storms and drought. As world leaders confront the global climate crisis at the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), this initiative underscores the importance of investment in climate action to protect vulnerable communities when disasters strike.

LILONGWE – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a total US$ 4.1 million contribution from the Government of Iceland and the Government of Norway to support thousands of people facing severe hunger at the peak of the lean season in Malawi.

PANAMA – In the wake of the three devastating hurricanes Fiona, Ian and Julia that gathered strength in the Atlantic Ocean in September and October causing heavy rain, flooding and mudslides, WFP is providing emergency food to 800,000 people affected in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as logistical and technical support to governments and partners. Ahead of the hurricane season, WFP prepositioned food, equipment and staff across the region.

KYIV – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its local partners have started distributing food assistance to 100,000 people in and around Kherson city in areas that had not been reached since March despite multiple attempts from WFP and other humanitarian agencies to secure access.

ROME - The world needs concerted efforts to urgently address the global fertilizer market crunch in which farmers, especially smallholder farmers from the developing world, are priced out of production due to the high cost of inputs. We cannot allow global fertilizer accessibility problems to become a global food shortage. Reconnecting fertilizer markets is critical.

This is a summary of what was said by Antonella D’Aprile, WFP’s Country Director in Mozambique – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

BENGHAZI – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Libya has welcomed a contribution of 9,000,000 CZK (approx. US$ 355,000) from the Czech Republic to support the rehabilitation of the Food and Drug Control Centre (FDCC) laboratory in Benghazi. Through this project, WFP aims to provide the centre with advanced equipment and technical training to improve its capacity.

KABUL – A vital contribution of €50 million (US $49.7 million) from the European Union, made through its Department for International Partnerships (INTPA), is helping the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reach Afghan communities with livelihoods and resilience support.

CAIRO – Arab film star Hend Sabry lent her voice to a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) campaign highlighting the impact of the climate crisis on the most vulnerable communities in the Middle East and North Africa as world leaders convene in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh that hosts the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27).