War against hunger: World Food Programme gets Nobel Peace Prize
For its relentless work toward combating hunger, the World Food Programme (WFP) was on Friday awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The prize is worth $1.1 million. It was appreciated for its contribution to "bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict."
Last year, WFP helped nearly 100 million hunger-stricken people
In a statement, the Nobel Committee revealed that WFP provided assistance to nearly 100 million victims of hunger and food insecurity, across 88 countries, last year. Around 135 million people suffered from acute hunger in 2019. "In 2015, eradicating hunger was adopted as one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The WFP is the UN's primary instrument for realizing this goal," the statement added.
WFP works for those who can't produce or get food
Established in 1961, WFP is headquartered in Rome, Italy, but has offices in at least 80 countries. Its motive is to provide assistance to those who can't produce or obtain enough food for themselves or their families. In 2018, it received the largest share of the $7.2 billion funds from the US — a record $2.5 billion. The EU contributed $1.1 billion.
Amid pandemic, WFP's work is commendable, noted Nobel Committee
The Nobel Committee said the coronavirus pandemic led to a rise in the victims of hunger. "In countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and Burkina Faso, the combination of violent conflict and the pandemic has led to a dramatic rise in the number of people living on the brink of starvation," the committee said while appreciating WFP's work.
Nobel Committee said hunger can't end till wars stop
The committee explained that hunger and armed conflict are linked, unfortunately, in a vicious manner. "War and conflict can cause food insecurity and hunger, just as hunger and food insecurity can cause latent conflicts to flare up and trigger the use of violence," the statement read. Until wars end, the globe can never attain the goal of zero hunger.
WFP promoted peace while keeping up with the humanitarian work
Revealing why the UN-branch was given the award, the committee said WFP combined humanitarian work and peace efforts in South America, Africa, and Asia. "WFP was an active participant in the diplomatic process that culminated in May 2018 in the UN Security Council's unanimous adoption of Resolution 2417, which for the first time explicitly addressed the link between conflict and hunger," the committee said.
Wish to turn world's attention toward hunger: Nobel Committee
Saying that this year's award is meant to draw the world's attention toward the hunger problem, the committee added, "WFP contributes daily to advancing the fraternity of nations referred to in Alfred Nobel's will."
Coronavirus will push nearly 100 million into hunger, predicted UN
Notably, in mid-July, the UN had said the recession, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, could push 83 to 132 million people into hunger. WFP Executive Director David Beasley commented in April that the world could face "multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months." This explains why the Nobel Committee asked countries to endorse WFP and other food assistance organizations financially.
Award reminds that hunger and wars are linked: WFP
After it was honored, WFP tweeted, "Deepest thanks @NobelPrize for honoring the World Food Programme with the 2020 #NobelPeacePrize. This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand. (sic)" Notably, this is the 12th time that the UN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2019, the coveted award was given to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
