Qatar to provide flexible funding to World Food Program to help curb global hunger
Qatar has reaffirmed its role as a
regional leader in humanitarian assistance by signing a new flexible funding
agreement with the UN World Food Program (WFP) during the UN General
Assembly. The move comes at a time when the world faces a hunger crisis
described as the worst in modern history, with confirmed famines in Sudan and
Gaza and millions more at risk.
Through the Qatar Fund for
Development (QFFD), Doha contributed US$5 million in flexible resources last
year, joining top donors such as Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. This
year, QFFD pledged to continue annual multilateral support—funds that WFP can
deploy quickly and strategically to respond to emergencies and protracted
crises without delay.
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Flexible funding is considered WFP’s most powerful tool because it allows its field experts to decide how, where, and when to allocate resources. Studies show that such contributions can cut emergency food delivery times by more than 60 percent, enabling the organization to pre-position supplies and respond rapidly to crises. In 2024 alone, flexible resources helped WFP reach over 120 million people across 85 countries.
Recent examples highlight its
impact: in Lebanon, flexible funding enabled WFP to provide food assistance to
2.3 million people amid conflict and economic collapse; in Sudan, it unlocked
US$60 million to deliver food in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis; in
Yemen, it prevented life-saving nutrition programs from shutting down; and in
Zambia, it supported 1.2 million drought-affected people, including smallholder
farmers like Gladys Mataa, who said WFP’s help meant she could “feed my
children and keep their dreams alive.”
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Yet WFP warns of an urgent funding gap. This year, it expects 40 percent less support than in 2024—around US$4 billion short of what is needed to reach the most vulnerable. Flexible contributions, therefore, are not just a lifeline but a benchmark for effective humanitarian partnership. Qatar’s commitment, WFP officials say, demonstrates the trust that enables frontline responders to act decisively and save lives.
Source: The Peninsula