He warned that deep funding shortfalls are forcing him to cut rations and reduce assistance at a time of growing needs.
Current projections place WFP funding at just under half of its required $13 billion budget by 2026allowing the agency to reach some 110 million people, a third of those in need.
Fighting hunger pays dividends
“Hunger drives displacement, conflict and instability and These not only threaten lives, but disrupt the very markets on which businesses depend.”said Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Deputy Executive Director of Partnerships and Innovation.
“The world cannot build stable markets on a foundation of 318 million hungry people.”
Ms. Dagash-Kamara, who is attending the forum, said The private sector has a direct interest in addressing food insecurity.calling on businesses to invest in supply chains, technology and innovation that can help stabilize fragile markets and protect the workforce.
WFP urges business leaders in Davos to keep hunger and food security among their top priorities. invest in supply chain systems that strengthen fragile markets and support food-related technologies that improve efficiency and resilience.
Displaced families in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, receive food aid. (file photo)
Migration drives growth and development
The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) is also taking its case to the annual forum in Switzerland, calling on political and business leaders to rethink migration as an engine of growth rather than a burden.
“Migration is one of the most powerful drivers of development when managed responsibly,”said IOM Director General Amy Pope.
“Mobility can unlock economic potential, help communities thrive independently and provide lasting solutions to displacement, while respecting national sovereignty and human rights.”
Partnerships and innovation
IOM said partnerships with foundations and private companies are already helping to make that approach a reality.
This includes using artificial intelligence to improve health screening and labor market policies, and programs that support vocational training, entrepreneurship, and durable solutions for displaced people.
In Davos, the agency also highlights the role of diaspora communities as investors and innovators.
“By using remittances and capital from the diaspora to support business creation and digital financial access, IOM aims to open new markets and create jobs, while helping communities become more self-sufficient,”the agency said.
Other senior UN officials attending the forum include General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock; the head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih; and Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.