During his visit to the UN World Food Programme, Pope Leo strongly criticised world leaders for prioritising the funding of military conflicts over the fight against hunger.
- Pope Leo called for increased funding to combat hunger.
- He emphasised that access to food is a human right.
- The World Food Programme is the largest provider of food aid.
- The US has announced a new tranche of aid worth 800 million dollars.
- Pope Leo did not name any specific world leaders in his criticism.
Criticism of world leaders
Pope Leo, during his visit to the Rome headquarters of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), levelled harsh criticism at world leaders. He noted that governments are more willing to «feed» wars than to provide food for the hungry. «It is easier to fuel armed conflicts than to feed people,» said the pontiff, highlighting the serious imbalance in global political priorities.
Pope Leo called for a substantial increase in funding to combat hunger and emphasised that humanitarian aid should not be subject to geopolitical interests. He expressed regret that global humanitarian crises are often pushed into the background, whilst states channel vast resources into national security and economic growth.
The importance of access to food
The head of the Catholic Church emphasised that Access to food is a «fundamental human right based on the dignity of every individual». According to him, tackling hunger has a direct impact on global security, as it addresses the root causes of geopolitical instability. Pope Leo called for more proactive action on the part of world leaders to resolve this problem.
Funding for food aid
World Food Programme is the world’s largest provider of food aid, with the US traditionally being its main donor. Washington recently announced a new tranche of aid amounting to $800 million, which was an important step following previous cuts in funding. Pope Leo noted that such measures are essential to support the WFP’s humanitarian mission.
During her visit to the WFP headquarters, the pontiff was met by Cindy McCain, who had previously stepped down as director of the agency due to health issues. It is important to note that in 2020, the WFP was awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the fight against world hunger.