WFP intends to reach 110 million people next year: UN spox

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The World Food Programme (WFP) plans to deliver aid to 110 million people despite fund cuts, said deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general on Tuesday.

The WFP said in a statement earlier in the day that aid agencies are facing "steep funding cuts," warning that "not enough assistance is reaching people who desperately need it."

The organization added that the cuts "have forced WFP to reduce the target number of people we assist to just 3.7 million of the hungriest - and, even then, to slice food rations in some areas by up to half."

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, told Rudaw during a press briefing that he had seen the statement.

He noted that "the basic point is that right now they intend next year to reach 110 million people at a cost of 13 billion dollars, but we anticipate that the World Food Programme might receive barely half that amount."

"We want to make sure that all donors live up to their responsibilities," he added. 

The WFP estimates its 2026 operating needs at $13 billion, most of which would be allocated to crisis response, along with initiatives focused on resilience and addressing root causes of hunger. But current projections indicate that the organization may receive only about half of the required funds.

Namo Abdulla contributed to this article.