UN World Food Program warns of mass migration and starvation without increased funding David Beasley tells China, wealthy people, and G...
UN World Food Program warns of mass migration and starvation without increased funding
David Beasley tells China, wealthy people, and Gulf countries to "step it up big time."
David Beasley, who is leaving his job as head of the UN World Food Program, which won the Nobel Peace Prize, has said that if billions of dollars aren't given to feed millions of hungry people, the world will see mass migration, unstable countries, and children and adults who are starving in the next 12 to 18 months.
Beasley was happy that the U.S. and Germany gave more money last year, but he urged China, the Gulf countries, billionaires, and other countries to "step up big time." He said he would be surprised if the WFP got the $23 billion it needs this year to help millions of poor people.
WFP had to cut the amount of food they gave to 4 million people in Afghanistan by 50%.
Beasley said that the WFP had to cut food rations for 4 million people in Afghanistan by 50%, and that "these are people who are knocking on the door of famine now." He also said that there wasn't enough money to help the most vulnerable people, and that they were in a crisis over the cliff stage where they could have "hell on earth" if they weren't careful.
He told the world that the next 12 to 18 months are very important, and if funding is cut, there will be mass migration, countries will fall apart, and children and people all over the world will go hungry.
People tell billionaires to use their wealth to help with "the world's greatest need."
Beasley said that charity isn't a long-term solution to the food crisis. However, he thinks that billionaires could make a big difference if they used their money and experience to help with "the world's greatest need, which is food on the planet to feed 8 billion people." He said that there's no reason for any child to die of hunger when the world's wealth is worth $400 trillion.
The biggest surprise and best hope for Beasley
Beasley said that his biggest surprise was believing in April 2017 that "we could end world hunger and put the World Food Program out of business." He didn't expect the conflicts and wars, the climate shocks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Ukraine war, which increased the number of people in desperate need of food from 80 million to 135 million right before COVID started spreading in early 2020, to 276 million before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and to 350 million now.
But seeing little girls and boys smile even though they are in war or hungry keeps him going. So does the support from both sides of the often divided US Congress for helping the poorest people in the world.