Statement from World Food Program USA President and CEO on Afghanistan

Published August 19, 2021

By Barron Segar

As I’ve watched and read reports from Afghanistan this week, one thought stuck with me: the tide of hunger looming in the wake of this conflict.

We know we must stave off hunger to prevent the nation from further unraveling. One in three people in Afghanistan already faces the vicious effects of hunger as back-to-back droughts have devastated the country’s crops. What’s more, the conflict has displaced thousands of people from their homes all while the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic carry on.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been in Afghanistan for more than 60 years, and it will continue to provide unconditional food assistance to vulnerable groups despite the recent turmoil. Already in the first six months of this year, we delivered food and nutrition assistance to 5.5 million people, including those newly displaced by fighting. In the face of immense security and logistics challenges, the U.N. World Food Programme maintains access to most of the country, including areas experiencing active fighting, and is committed to staying and delivering food.

Through our commitment to Afghanistan, we will do everything we can to reach vulnerable families in their time of great need. But we can’t do it without the support of donors. Please join us as we work to feed millions of vulnerable people.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and 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.

World Food Program USA, a 501©(3) organization based in Washington, DC, proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. To learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit wfpusa.org/about-us.

Media Contact:
Bo Bartley
Senior Manager, Public Relations
bbartley@wfpusa.org
202-627-3737