WFP chief lauds frontline workers, partners after Nobel Peace Prize win

AMMAN — The chief of the World Food Programme has lauded its frontline workers and partners in the fight against hunger after winning this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

“The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to WFP is a humbling, moving recognition of the work of WFP staff who lay their lives on the line every day to bring food and assistance for close to 100 million hungry children, women and men across the world. People whose lives are often brutally torn apart by instability, insecurity and conflict,” WFP Executive Director David Beasley said in a statement on Friday.

“Every one of the 690 million hungry people in the world today has the right to live peacefully and without hunger,” Beasley said.

“Today, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has turned the global spotlight on them and on the devastating consequences of conflict. Climate shocks and economic pressures have further compounded their plight. And now, a global pandemic with its brutal impact on economies and communities, is pushing millions more to the brink of starvation,” he added. 

The Nobel Peace Prize is “not WFP’s alone”, Beasley said.

“We work closely with government, organisations and private sector partners whose passion for helping the hungry and vulnerable equals ours. We could not possibly help anyone without them. We are an operational agency and the daily work of our staff each day is driven by our core values of integrity, humanity and inclusion,” he said. 

“Where there is conflict, there is hunger. And where there is hunger, there is often conflict. Today is a reminder that food security, peace and stability go together. Without peace, we cannot achieve our global goal of zero hunger; and while there is hunger, we will never have a peaceful world,” Beasley said.

In Jordan, WFP provides half a million refugees living in camps and communities with cash assistance every month to meet their food needs, while over 417,000 Jordanian and refugee school children receive healthy daily snacks during their school semesters, the agency said in a separate statement. 

In three years, WFP in Jordan will provide employment opportunities to 40,000 vulnerable people through income generating activities to improve their food security, according to the statement.

The agency said it supports the government of Jordan to achieve its national development priorities to support more vulnerable Jordanians and strengthen nationally owned social safety nets.

WFP is a leading advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment. Zero Hunger (SDG 2) can only be achieved with equal and empowered communities, where all women, men, girls and boys can exercise their human rights, including their right to adequate food, it said.

“WFP could not possibly save lives and change lives without its donors – the government, private corporations and people who contribute time and money as well as our partners in implementing our activities including many government entities, NGOs and community-based organisations as well as our sister UN agencies. This award recognises their effort as well,” read the statement.

WFP has been present in Jordan since 1964 and works closely with the government and other partners to support refugees and vulnerable Jordanians to achieve food security and self-reliance, according to the statement.