Africa: Ending Conflict Is 'Number One Thing' to Reduce World Hunger, New WFP Chief Says

What the report says

New UN World Food Programme Executive Director Luke Lindberg said in his first press briefing in New York that reducing conflict is the most effective way to lower global hunger. Citing UN data reported by UN News, he said conflict is linked to about two-thirds of acute food insecurity affecting 266 million people worldwide. He argued that war and instability are human-made problems that can be addressed, and said WFP should focus on practical delivery rather than broad promises.

Lindberg outlined three early priorities for the agency: protecting staff, deepening donor partnerships and improving operations gradually. He also said WFP should keep investing in disaster preparedness, including the use of artificial intelligence, and expand school meal programs. He noted that more than 700 humanitarian workers have been killed in recent years while trying to help others, underscoring the risks facing aid operations.

He said his first trip as executive director will be to Sudan in the coming weeks, with attention on staff working in difficult locations. He added that WFP is focused on Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia, where hunger and conflict have created severe needs. Lindberg also said conditions in Gaza remain unacceptable and that funding shortfalls are limiting WFP’s ability to deliver food there.

The report says Lindberg succeeded Cindy McCain and previously served in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It also notes that the United States remains WFP’s largest donor, while the private sector has become a more important funding source. The remarks matter because they point to conflict, financing and humanitarian access as major obstacles in efforts to reduce hunger globally.