News releases

Joint US/UN News Release/NIAMEY– The combined effects of conflict, climate shocks, and high food prices continues to drive hunger up and push basic meals out of the reach of millions in Niger, demanding immediate and collective action, United States Ambassador to the UN Agencies in Rome Cindy McCain told journalists at the end of their week-long, U.S.- sponsored field visit to Zinder, Dosso and Tillaberi regions.

COLOMBO – The Government of Japan has contributed an additional US$6.6 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to provide critical food and nutrition assistance to over one million Sri Lankans.

COLOMBO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed Stephanie Wilcock, Director for Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) on a visit to Sri Lanka. During the visit, Wilcock met with poor rural communities to understand their food and nutrition needs, and how WFP’s US-funded programmes will help them overcome challenges brought on by the economic crisis.

N’DJAMENA –The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a USD 6.2 million contribution by the Government of Japan to support 120,000 people including refugees, Internally Displaced Persons, and families facing hunger and malnutrition in Chad.

AWEIL – A contribution of US$288.5 million from the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will help to support more than two million of the most food-insecure people in South Sudan with life-saving food and nutrition assistance through the 2023 lean season, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced.

CAIRO/ROME – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has stepped up its emergency response to support victims of the devastating earthquake in Syria and Türkiye, providing emergency food assistance to nearly half a million quake-affected people in the two countries through hot meals, emergency ready-to-eat food packages and family food rations.

ROME – The United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to support 490,000 people in Burkina Faso, The Gambia and Mali who were impacted by drought in 2022. WFP has received US$15.4 million worth of insurance payouts from African Risk Capacity (ARC) Limited that will provide a cash transfer to affected people from March to May 2023, enabling them to recover from the impacts of drought, for example by buying food or supplementing incomes to avoid having to sell productive assets.

COLOMBO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka today acknowledged a recent contribution of CHF 800,000 (approximately US$802,000) from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) at a special event held at the Embassy of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The funding is being used to provide much-needed cash and other assistance to improve food security among rural farming communities affected by the country’s economic crisis.

DAMASCUS – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director, David Beasley, arrived in Syria this week and appealed to the world to invest in the Syrian people and communities to get them on their feet and off food assistance.

JUBA – A contribution of CAD5.5 million (US$4.1 million) from the Government of Canada will provide more than 23,000 children in South Sudan with access to daily nutritious meals at school, or take-home rations, over the next three years, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced today at a signing ceremony.

24/01/2023, Bangkok – Asia’s cities are growing at such a fast pace that nearly 55 percent of the region’s enormous population is expected to reside in urban areas by 2030, and that will have equally enormous consequences for urban food security and nutrition, according to the main findings of a new report by four United Nations agencies.

ANTANANARIVO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of Madagascar have launched an innovative project that seeks to develop rural communities in Androy and Anosy regions, in southern Madagascar.

Official launch by FAO, WFP and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Integrated Acute Food Insecurity Phase Classification Results Study in Lebanon.

GENEVA, NEW YORK, ROME, 12 January 2023 - United Nations agencies are calling for urgent action to protect the most vulnerable children in the 15 countries hardest hit by an unprecedented food and nutrition crisis.

KAMPALA – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have welcomed a contribution of US$4.7 million from Norway to jointly implement programmes which increase climate resilience and improve food and nutrition security for 8,000 families in the Teso sub-region of eastern Uganda.

KAMPONG CHHNANG & PURSAT – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, with support from KOICA, are this month recognizing the role school cooks play in the school meals programme through a series cooking competitions.

YEREVAN – With a generous contribution of US$750,000 from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will support the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to strengthen the shock responsiveness of the social protection system in Armenia.

KIGALI – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Rwanda has welcomed a contribution of US$3.6 million from Germany to support the food and nutrition needs of women and children in the refugee community, to strengthen government social protection systems and improve food security and incomes for smallholder farmers.

COLOMBO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka welcomed Dustin Shiau, Senior Regional Program Officer of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), on a visit to Sri Lanka. He met with food-insecure communities and heard first-hand accounts of the difficulties they are facing and how USAID and WFP support has helped provide regular meals for their families.

ZANZIBAR – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has today announced the expansion of its programme to Zanzibar, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, some 25 to 50 kilometres off the coast of mainland Tanzania - as part of its new five-year Country Strategic Plan (2022-2027).

KINSHASA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a EUR 2.5 million contribution from the Government of France to help stem malnutrition amongst hundreds of children under two years old in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

DAKAR – The number of hungry people in West and Central Africa is projected to reach an all-time high of 48 million people (including 9 million children) next year if urgent and long-lasting solutions to address this crisis are not delivered soon. The latest Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis shows that over 35 million people (including 6.7 million children) in the region - approximately 8 percent of the assessed population - are currently unable to meet their basic food and nutrition needs.

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.

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.

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.