On April 21, WFP ED David Beasley addressed the UN Security Council, asking them to act quickly to prevent COVID-19 from pushing millions of people into famine.
Today, WFP released a report announcing that COVID-19 could push more than a quarter of a billion into hunger by the end of 2020.
WFP received major contributions received from individuals, foundations and corporate partners, including UPS, Bank of America, Mars, Cargill, and Herbalife Nutrition to support WFP’s COVID-19 response efforts globally.
The Government of Ethiopia and WFP opened a new hub inside Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport from which COVID-19 supplies, equipment and humanitarian workers will be transported by air across Ethiopia and Africa.
The first United Nations “Solidarity Flight” is scheduled to leave Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today – from there, the aircraft will transport the vital medical cargo to all countries in Africa, where supplies are desperately needed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“The COVID pandemic risks even wider and deeper desperation,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP’s Country Director. “We must all do our utmost to prevent this tragedy turning into a catastrophe.”
The United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Panama has already airlifted more than eight tons of supplies, including COVID-19 kits, to 24 countries.
“Our message to the world is clear: Look away now and the consequences will be no less than catastrophic,” says Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa.
As well as displaying global totals, the map shows how many children are affected in each country, with real-time data indicating both the scale of the challenges and the need for solutions.
WFP is gearing up to ensure that children across the global still have access to school meals even while schools are closed due to Coronavirus.
