The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports that an estimated 318 million people worldwide now face crisis levels of hunger or worse, with hundreds of thousands already living in famine‑like conditions. The agency cautions that deepening funding shortages are forcing it to cut rations at a time when needs continue to rise sharply.
For 2026, WFP forecasts receiving less than half of its required $13 billion budget, leaving it able to assist only 110 million people, just a third of those in need.
Rania Dagash‑Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation, said hunger was becoming a direct threat to global economic systems. “Hunger drives displacement, conflict and instability, and these disrupt the very markets that businesses depend on,” she said.
“The world cannot build stable markets on a foundation of 318 million hungry people.”
Dagash‑Kamara, who is in Davos this week, urged the private sector to invest in food systems, supply chains, and technologies that help stabilise fragile markets and protect local workforces. WFP is calling on business leaders to ensure food security remains a top priority.
The UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is also using the Davos platform to shift global perceptions of migration. IOM Director General Amy Pope said migration, when managed responsibly, is “one of the most powerful drivers of development”.
“Mobility can unlock economic potential, help communities thrive independently, and offer long‑term solutions to displacement while respecting national sovereignty and human rights,” she said.
IOM highlighted successful partnerships with private companies and foundations, including the use of artificial intelligence for health screening and labour market planning, as well as programmes supporting vocational training and entrepreneurship for displaced people.
The agency also emphasised the role of diaspora communities as investors and innovators, noting that remittances and diaspora capital can drive business creation, expand digital financial access, and help communities become more self‑reliant.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
