Alexander De Croo discusses humanitarian crises with new WFP Director David Beasley
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo today met with David Beasley, the new Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). WFP is, by volume, the second most important multilateral partner organization of the Belgian humanitarian assistance. In 2016, Belgium contributed more than 25 million euros to WFP projects supporting nearly eight million people in eight countries. Last week, Minister De Croo and the World Food Program, made a visit to South Sudan which is heavily affected by famine.
The United Nations World Food Program is one of the leading organizations committed to a world without hunger and is often the first on site in times of crisis. In addition, the World Food Program also focuses on the prevention of disasters in developing countries. The organization is entirely dependent on voluntary contributions.
Minister De Croo and Executive Director Beasley discussed the humanitarian emergency situation and famine in South Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia. More than twenty million people are currently living in food insecurity. Belgium has released 34 million in humanitarian relief aid in the last few months.
Last week, Minister De Croo was in South Sudan and in northern Uganda to support the World Food Program’s commitment.
Humanitarian innovation
The importance of humanitarian innovation was also discussed. The aim is to increase the efficiency of humanitarian aid and reduce costs, as to help more people in crisis situations. Belgium is the main donor of the WFP innovation program that focuses on the development of humanitarian drones. The deployment of drones in humanitarian emergencies can help to achieve more difficult areas in a faster way. Belgium also supports the WFP Mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Innovation Program that uses mobile phone data to map the vulnerability of certain areas and to identify food crises more efficiently.
Because of the great importance of humanitarian logistics, Belgium also supports United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, UNHAS, managed by the WFP.
