With World Food Programme facing a funding shortfall of over 60 per cent this year it’s absurd – and worse – to tell them to “do better with less.”

Oct 2, 2023 | News

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL10212):

Question by Lord ALTON of Liverpool
To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) about (1) its operational requirements for 2023, and (2) the funding shortfall of over 60 per cent the WFP faced this year; what response they have given the WFP’s concerns about the funding shortfall; and what plans they have, if any, to raise this with international partners. (HL10212)

Tabled on: 18 September 2023

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

UK officials recently discussed World Food Programme (WFP) projected operational shortfalls for 2023 and 2024 in Rome. WFP’s new Management Plan will be submitted for approval to the Executive Board in November. The Board, including the UK, is asking WFP to “do better with less”, further improving prioritisation and targeting to ensure that the most vulnerable and at risk are not left behind. We are currently discussing the matter with other donors, including WFP’s largest government donor – the USA – and other stakeholders like the World Bank. We and our partners wish not only to increase humanitarian funding globally, but also to help reduce humanitarian need in the first place, by strengthening activities through WFP and others that build community resilience to shocks – for example through anticipatory action.

Date and time of answer: 02 Oct 2023 at 16:45


Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL10211):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool :
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of UN World Food Programme’s analysis, published on 12 September, that every 1 per cent cut in food assistance could push 400,000 people towards the brink of starvation and that as a consequence of cuts “an additional 24 million people could fall into emergency hunger over the next 12 months”; and what steps it plans to take, if any, in response to this analysis. (HL10211)

Tabled on: 18 September 2023

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

We share WFP’s alarm at their analysis and ask the Agency to prioritise those who are most in need and the most food insecure, basing its decisions on its own internal assessments and internationally-recognised tools like the Integrated Phase Classification. We urge WFP to keep improving its targeting to ensure the most vulnerable segments of the population are reached with adequate support.

We are supportive of WFP’s efforts to expand its donor base beyond traditional donors (including other Governments, International Financial Institutions and the private sector) and urge them to continue investing in efficiencies to ensure scarce resources are used in the most effective manner possible.

Date and time of answer: 03 Oct 2023 at 15:09.

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Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL10210):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of analysis by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) published on 12 September describing “an unprecedented funding crisis” in food assistance; and what steps they plan to take, if any, to respond to the WFP’s summary of the consequences of scaling back of humanitarian assistance at “a time when acute food insecurity has soared to record levels”. (HL10210)

Tabled on: 18 September 2023

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

We share WFP’s alarm at their analysis describing an “unprecedented funding crisis” in food assistance and the extraordinarily difficult decisions that WFP has to take in order to address it, including reducing rations. The UK supports WFP’s efforts to diversify its donor base to fill current funding gaps, and the Agency’s increased focus on innovative partnerships and solutions – including with the private sector and International Financial Institutions. The UK is continuing to prioritise its support to the humanitarian agencies, including core, unearmarked funding which supports rapid responses, underfunded emergencies and the populations that are most in need.

Date and time of answer: 03 Oct 2023 at 12:17.

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