Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Programme, said that “hunger is at the forefront of global conflicts around the world”, making it a “national security issue” that requires the help of all countries involved.
McCain said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan”, “We need help from everyone. The world is on fire right now,” adding that “hunger is at the forefront of all of this.”
McCain underlined that with food insecurity, people “don't behave well, and things — they start migrating.”
“This is how wars start,” he said. “Struggle is a part of it all.”
The areas where the World Food Program is working include Syria, which has gone into a period of uncertainty after The fall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad Last week. McCain said the organization's deliveries to the region have been “very smooth” so far – 70,000 people have been fed this month – while adding that they need more delivery options open and more funding.
McCain said the World Food Program is able to get goods and food to Syria where they need to go “safely and quickly,” adding that he hopes things “remain calm” so they can continue their work. Can keep. full scale. But he said the organization was seeing “evidence of massive starvation” in the country, while also adding that without funding, people would “die of hunger.”
McCain said the effort could use $17 billion worldwide, adding, “There are many countries that don't have access to any funding.”
“No one is paying attention to this,” he said.
McCain underlined the “complex situation” in Sudan, including the slow process of reaching parts of the country, including places where famine has been declared. And in Gaza, he said conditions were “very close” to famine, noting that only two World Food Program trucks had been able to reach the area in November.
Amid access issues, McCain said, “We need a ceasefire and we need it now,” adding that as leader of the world's largest humanitarian aid agency, he is calling for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza. And are urging their colleagues. The aid sector will have to do the same.
“We can no longer sit by and allow these people to starve to death,” McCain said. “We need help, and we need to make sure that we put political pressure on the people who need to be put on political pressure.”