Statement from WFP Executive Director, David Beasley

Serving in this capacity has been the greatest joy and deepest heartache of my life. Thanks to the generosity of governments and individuals, we have fed so many millions of people.  But the reality is we have not been able to feed them all - and the tragedy of extreme hunger in a wealthy world persists.

My term of office will end in April 2023 and the process to select my successor has begun.

I look forward to working with the new Executive Director to deliver a seamless transition, and they will have my full support as they lead WFP forward.

It has been an honor to serve this inspiring organization and to work with its 23,000 dedicated women and men. I thank the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres for giving me this role to play.

But most of all, I thank the women, men and especially the children who live in poverty and hunger: every day, they show an extraordinary strength, courage and generosity of spirit the whole world needs to learn. They are an example to us all.

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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.