The widow of former Senator and presidential candidate John McCain, and Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ms. McCain, has called for innovative public-private sector partnerships to address future humanitarian crises. She believes that flourishing economies are essential to eradicating hunger and poverty, as well as strengthening international peace and security.
The WFP chief expressed her pessimism about the current state of affairs, with 783 million people facing deep food insecurity and 45 million children suffering from acute malnutrition. She noted that war, economic distress, and climate change are driving people into poverty and despair, and that funding for relief operations is decreasing.
In light of this, Ms. McCain urged for a greater use of the private sector. She asserted that private enterprise has a long history of reducing global poverty, and that the time has come to rethink how partnerships are formed.
The WFP chief also pointed out that reducing poverty and hunger is key for the health of workforces, markets, and economic growth. When people and communities are prosperous, businesses also benefit.