United Nations:The UN World Food Programme will cut staff by 25 to 30 percent as funding for the global aid agency plummets, according to an internal email seen Monday by AFP.
President Donald Trump has moved to slash US contributions to the UN and its agencies since returning to the White House, causing funding chaos as Washington was previously the largest contributor to many budgets.
The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, charged with preventing famine and serious hunger globally, playing a vital role in getting food to crises like the war in Sudan and disaster zones.
“WFP must reduce its worldwide workforce by 25-30 percent, which could impact up to 6,000 roles,” the email said.
“This structural shift — necessary to preserve resources in support of vital operations — will impact all geographies, divisions and levels in the organization.”
Before the cuts, WFP which was founded in 1961 had 23,000 staff and a presence in 120 countries, according to its website.
“The scale of the workforce reductions needed is difficult news to say and even more difficult to hear. Yet it is the necessary and responsible decision given our tenuous funding outlook,” said the memo.