The Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee has recognized the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, its contribution to improving conditions in conflict-affected areas, and its commitment to preventing the situation from being used as a weapon of war.
An emotional moment at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on the morning of October 9. At the time of the official announcement of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, WFP spokesman in Switzerland Tomson Phiri was briefing correspondents accredited to the European office of the United Nations (UNOG) on the situation in Sudan. Suddenly, he is interrupted. We see him reading a note scribbled by Rhéal Leblanc, head of the press department of the information service, who is orchestrating the UN's weekly briefing this Friday. A few seconds later, between surprise and hesitation, Tomson expresses his pride at "having served for nine years an organization whose dedicated staff constantly push their limits in order to serve humanity". Indeed, this year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the WFP.
An impressive machine
Present in 88 countries, the World Food Program (WFP) employs 18,000 staff and provides food for nearly 97 million people worldwide every year. Created in 1961 at the instigation of US President Dwight Eisenhower to combat the world's food problems, the Rome-based agency works thanks to voluntary contributions from UN member states, the private sector, foundations and individuals. The international organization is headed by former North Carolina Governor David Beasley, who was in Niger when the news broke. Pleased with this act of recognition, the American recalled that "every day 690 million people go to bed hungry". During the global lockdown, the WFP continued its food aid work. At the height of the crisis, when all global transport activities were halted, the WFP fleet was the largest aviation company in operation. It not only delivered food to the most vulnerable, but also masks, tests and equipment to combat COVID-19.
Covid-19
Today, 821 million people in the world suffer from chronic hunger. In 2020, the WFP launched an appeal for $4.9 billion. The WFP spokesman points out that "before COVID-19, 179 million people needed urgent food assistance. With the pandemic, this figure could jump to 230 million by the end of the year." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the agency's vital role at a time when "existential threats, such as climate change, will exacerbate the food crisis". Experts fear that it will not be possible to achieve one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, which is to reduce world hunger to zero by 2030.
Award ceremony
On December 10, the Nobel Prize will be awarded in Oslo (Norway). The Chairman of the Nobel Prize Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, emphasized that at a time when solidarity and multilateral cooperation are essential, the WFP is being rewarded for "having played a leading role in efforts to prevent hunger from being used as a weapon of war".