Summary 

The World Food Programme has decided to suspend food aid to the North of Yemen, a country where starvation is rife. We demand that they reverse this decision. 

Background  

The World Food Programme is a department of the United Nations, whose remit is to end world hunger. There is nothing in its remit that allows it to engage in politics, yet the WFP stated on 5/12/23 that they were suspending aid in the North of Yemen, a country hit by a huge crisis, due to “limited funding and disagreement with local authorities over how to focus on the poorest there”. Both these reasons fall short, firstly the WFB has received $60 million dollars more funding than last year, and even if it were to cut, why target the country which needs it the most? Secondly even if they disagreed on the best way to distribute it, they still would not get involved in the local politics of the area or punish the local people of the area. It has been widely reported that this is a political decision, that under pressure from the United States the WFP is punishing Yemen for their support of Palestine. Whatever the reason, it is not sufficient to cut aid for one of the country’s most in need of such aid.   

Requested Action 

We request that you write a letter to the World Food Programme demanding that they change their decision and start providing food aid to the north of Yemen. 

Keep up to date with our Yemen campaign here 

Model letter / email 

Dear Executive Director McCain, 

I am writing to you with a feeling of both profound shock and disappointment at the decision by the World Food Programme to suspend food to north Yemen. Sources claim that the WFB has received $60 million dollars more funding than last year, and even if you were to cut its aid, why target the country which needs it the most? Even if you disagree on the best way to distribute such aid, you still should not get involved in the local politics of the area or punish the local people of the area, this goes against the remit of the United Nations, which is to respect a country’s sovereignty.  

It is not surprising that in light of these revelations it’s been widely reported that this is being done to collectively punish the Yemeni people for Ansarullah’s actions in response to the Gaza Genocide. Whilst this may be only speculation, the people of Yemen have suffered enough and deserve the help of the international community to avert what is a catastrophe in their country. 

On your website it says: “For its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict, WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.” 

By failing to deliver on some of the most impoverished people in the World, you are not only undermining the WFP in its aims and objectives. I demand that you reverse this decision and return to your remit by sending food aid to northern Yemen (the world’s worst humanitarian crisis).  

Yours sincerely 

[Your name] 

Address 

Director General Cindy McCain 

Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68
Parco dei Medici
00148 – Rome – Italy 

Alternatively, you can contact them on an online form here