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WFP Wins Nobel Peace Prize for Fighting Hunger

Carol Van Dam

   The World Food Program has won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its
   efforts to combat hunger and to improve conditions for peace in
   conflict areas.

   The WFP said it was "deeply humbled" to have won.

   "This is an incredible recognition of the WFP family, working to end
   hunger every day in 80+ countries," tweeted WFP Executive Director
   David Beasley, who described himself as "speechless" in a video posted
   to the platform.

   "They're out there; poor countries, climate extremes, it doesn't
   matter, they're out there and they deserve this award," he said of his
   colleagues.

   The chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen,
   announced the 2020 laureate at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, where
   coronavirus restrictions significantly reduced the number of reporters
   allowed in the room.

   Bid to focus attention

   Reiss-Andersen said the committee gave the award to the WFP because it
   wanted to "turn the eyes of the world to the millions of people who
   suffer from or face the threat of hunger," which she described as a
   "weapon of war and conflict."

   U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Beasley "and the
   entire staff" for advancing the values of the United Nations.

   "I am delighted by the decision of the Nobel Committee to award this
   year's Prize for Peace to the United Nations World Food Program,"
   Guterres said. "The World Food Program is the world's first responder
   on the frontlines of food insecurity."

   The U.N. chief said he has seen for himself how the men and women of
   the WFP work "in the most remote and dangerous locations with enormous
   courage, dedication and competence, serving the most vulnerable of the
   vulnerable people of this world."

   The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised the WFP for its "efforts for
   combating hunger" and its "contribution to creating peace in
   conflicted-affected areas."

   Attack on cargo boats

   One of those conflict zones is South Sudan, where earlier this week,
   four WFP cargo boats loaded with food items were attacked. One crew
   member is missing and presumed dead, and three others suffered gunshot
   wounds.

   The U.S. State Department released a statement Friday saying it was
   "deeply concerned" about the attack. "We express our sympathy to the
   family of the missing aid worker and wish the wounded a full and swift
   recovery." It said humanitarian aid workers in South Sudan and
   throughout the region "work under extremely challenging conditions to
   assist some of the world's most vulnerable men, women and children."

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