McCain thanked His Holiness for being a strong voice for the world's hungry and his advocacy for the most vulnerable. She emphasized the unique role the Holy See can play in advancing peace, to prevent conflict driving millions toward starvation each year, and that in a deeply polarized world, food can be a unifying force.
McCain shared how dwindling resources are preventing WFP from saving lives, as WFP is forced to cut assistance in places like South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Jordan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Haiti, and many more.
The Executive Director told His Holiness of the heartbreaking decisions WFP is forced to make daily because of insufficient funding, reallocating resources dedicated to feeding the hungry to save the starving. WFP estimates indicate that more than 345 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity in 2023 - an increase of almost 200 million since early 2020.
The conversation also covered to the importance of finding solutions for our planet, with the Executive Director outlining WFP's work in helping communities adopt new farming practices to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Pope's longstanding concern for the hungry prompted a papal visit to WFP headquarters in 2016, where His Holiness offered his support and encouragement in efforts to achieve a Zero Hunger world.
Photo Editors: Click here for photos of this visit.
