David Beasley, head of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), warned in a speech to the UN Security Council of an approaching “global humanitarian disaster”. He expects the number of people threatened by starvation to double in 2020 due to the spread of the Corona virus: “While we are affected by a COVID-19 pandemic, we are also on the brink of a hunger pandemic.”
He mentioned countries with conflicts such as Yemen, Syria and South Sudan in particular: “Millions of civilians living in conflict-ridden nations, including many women and children, are being put on the brink of starvation. The specter of famine has become a very real and dangerous possibility.”
It will be crucial to work together as a unified global community to defeat the disease and protect the most vulnerable nations and communities potentially devastating effects. David Beasley urged donor countries to quickly transfer the $1.9 billion pledged so that humanitarian aid would not be disrupted. In addition, $350 million is needed to build a network of logistics centers and transportation systems.
The WFP is the most important institution of the United Nations in the fight against global hunger.
The whole speech:
https://de.wfp.org/pressemitteilungen/wfp-chef-warnt-vor-hungerpandemie-wegen-covid-19-vor-un-sicherheitsrat?_ga=2.267019208.79294334.1588581615-1028208975.1588581615%20%20tun042809
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Impressionen zum Leben in Zeiten der Corona-Pandemie: Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL; Mostafa Elyasian, 05.04.2020
