Mogadishu, 3 May 2023 (TDI): President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), and Michael Dunford, Regional Director for Eastern Africa for World Food Programme.
This is Cindy’s first trip to the field in that role to Somalia, which is facing its worst drought in 40 years that killed last year an estimated 43,000 people.
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World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director, Cindy Hensley McCain, took office on 5 April 2023. Cindy McCain may still be learning her way around the building. Still, as the agency’s new Executive Director, she needs no introduction to the mission and potential of the agency she now runs.
Somalia is in the midst of its fifth consecutive failed rainy season.
Also Read: Somalia at risk of worst famine, UNOCHA reports
Somalia ranks at the top of the International Rescue Committee’s Emergency Watchlist. This happens for the first time ever.
By mid-2023, over 8 million people, nearly half of the population, will be living through crisis levels of food insecurity as the country faces an impending famine.
In the meeting with the Somalian President, Cindy discussed the hunger crisis & drought impacting millions of lives across Somalia. She stated that the partnership is strong, and together we will support the most vulnerable and empower them to overcome future climate shocks.
Read also: Finland, Somalia to cooperate on Development & humanitarian aid
The discussion was focused on the development of Somalia’s food programs, the support provided by WFP, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change on food security.
43,000 people died last year because of the drought without an official famine announced. Half of them were children. Cindy stated that WFP cannot allow this to happen again.
Cindy McCain indicated and expressed her grief that WFP may be forced to make the decision to cut rations for millions of hungry people unless the aids arrive immediately.
