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The United Nations food aid agency said on Wednesday that severe funding cuts from its top donors were hurting its operations in six countries and warned that some 14 million people could be forced into emergency levels of hunger.
world food programTraditionally the UN’s most heavily funded agency, it said in a new report that its funding this year has “never been more challenged” – largely due to reduced outlays from the US. trump Administration and other major Western donors.
It warned that its 13.7 million food aid recipients could be forced into emergency levels of hunger due to funding cuts. Countries facing “major disruptions” are afghanistanCongo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan And Sudan, it said.
“We are watching the lifelines of millions of people disintegrate before our eyes,” the executive director said. cindy mccain Said.
WFP said it expected to receive 40% less funding this year, bringing the estimated budget to $6.4 billion – after receiving about $10 billion last year.
“It’s not just a funding gap – it’s a reality gap between what we need to do and what we can do,” McCain said. “We are at risk of losing decades of progress in the fight against hunger.”
The Rome-based agency says global hunger is already at record levels, with 319 million people facing severe food insecurity – including 44 million at emergency levels. There is famine in Gaza and Sudan.
Food assistance in Afghanistan is reaching less than 10% of the people who are food insecure – meaning they don’t know where their next meal will come from, the agency said.
WFP says it expects about $1.5 billion from the United States this year, down from about $4.5 billion last year, while other top donors have also cut funding.
Many UN organizations, including migration, health and refugee agencies, have announced intense aid and staff cuts this year due to reduced support from traditional big donors. The humanitarian aid community has also been hit by deep cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.