UN’s food aid body warns of crisis as funding cut by 40pc

NEW YORK: The UN’s World Food Programme warned Friday of an “unprecedented crisis” as it faces a 40 percent drop in funding this year, risking life-saving aid for 58 million people.

The WFP said that despite the generosity of many governments and individuals, it is “experiencing a steep decline in funding across its major donors”.

“Right now, the organisation is facing an alarming 40 percent drop in funding for 2025, as compared to last year,” the Rome-based agency said in statement.

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It added: “The severity of these cuts, combined with record levels of people in need, have led to an unprecedented crisis for tens of millions across the globe reliant on food aid.”

It did not name any individual country, but the United States, by far the WFP’s biggest donor, has dramatically cut its aid funding since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Other countries have also cut overseas aid, including Germany, the second biggest development aid donor behind the United States, and the UK, which is instead boosting defence spending.

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“WFP is prioritising countries with the greatest needs and stretching food rations at the frontlines,” said Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation.

“While we are doing everything possible to reduce operational costs, make no mistake, we are facing a funding cliff with life-threatening consequences.”

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The WFP highlighted 28 of its most critical operations which it said were facing severe funding constraints and “dangerously low food supplies” through to August.

They include Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, South Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Uganda, Niger, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Mali, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Haiti, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Ukraine, Malawi, Burundi, Ethiopia, the Palestinian territories, Central African Republic, Jordan, and Egypt.

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The WFP had Thursday warned it had only two weeks’ worth of food left in Gaza, where “hundreds of thousands of people” are at risk of severe hunger and malnutrition.