The World Food Programme (WFP) warned Friday that it was facing an "unprecedented" crisis due to a 40 percent cut in funding this year, jeopardizing vital aid for 58 million people.
The international organization said that despite the generosity of many governments and individuals, it is "experiencing a sharp decline in funding from its major donors," according to theFrance Media AgencyIn a statement issued from its headquarters in Rome, the agency said: "The World Food Programme is currently facing an alarming 40 percent reduction in its funding for 2025, compared to the previous year."
She added that "the scale of this decline, combined with a record number of people in need of assistance, has led to an unprecedented crisis for tens of millions of people around the world who rely on food aid."
The organization did not mention a specific country, but the United States, by far the WFP's largest donor, has significantly reduced its funding since the president took office. Donald Trump in January. Other countries, such as Germany—the second largest contributor to development aid after the United States—and the United Kingdom, have also reduced their foreign aid, preferring to increase their military spending.
Rania Daqash Kamara, WFP's Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation, said the organization is "prioritizing countries with the most urgent needs and trying to reduce food rations on the front lines." She added: "While we are doing everything we can to reduce operational costs... we are facing a looming funding crisis with potentially deadly consequences."
WFP has identified 28 of its most vital operations that are facing severe budget cuts and "dangerously low food stocks" through August. These operations span several countries, including Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, South Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, Burma, Uganda, Niger, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Mali, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Haiti, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Ukraine, Malawi, Burundi, Ethiopia, Palestinian Territories, Central African Republic, Jordan and Egypt.
On Thursday, the World Food Programme also sounded the alarm about the situation in Gaza, claiming that there was no more food available for more than two weeks, while "hundreds of thousands of people" there face extreme hunger and malnutrition.
