ROME: The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday warned of an “unprecedented crisis” as a 40 per cent funding drop threatens food aid for 58 million people in 2025.
Despite continued support from some governments and individuals, WFP said it is seeing sharp declines in funding from major donors. The agency did not name countries, but the United States—its biggest donor—has slashed aid since Donald Trump took office.
Germany and the UK have also cut development spending.
“The scale of these cuts, paired with record need, means we’re at a tipping point,” said WFP’s Rania Dagash-Kamara.
“We’re doing everything we can to stretch rations and reduce costs, but the consequences are life-threatening.”
WFP flagged 28 countries facing “dangerously low food supplies” through August, including Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Gaza, and Haiti. On Thursday, it said Gaza has only two weeks of food stocks left.
The agency is now prioritising the most at-risk countries and rationing aid on the frontlines. – AFP
