Minister Kang Kyung-wha Talks with UN World Food Programme Executive Director... Doubling Humanitarian Aid

Support of $5 Million for Aviation Services by 2022
World Food Programme: Global Hunger Population to Increase from 135 Million to 265 Million by Year-End

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the morning of the 24th, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a phone call at the request of David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), to discuss ways to strengthen Korea-WFP cooperation and the need for joint response to COVID-19.

Minister Kang stated that although the Korean government's efforts to respond to COVID-19 are yielding results, vigilance is still maintained, and she evaluated that WFP is responding effectively despite difficult conditions such as border closures caused by COVID-19. She also explained Korea's plan to expand its contribution to the operation of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).

The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) is an air service operated to provide safe and effective access to isolated areas that are difficult for international organization staff, NGOs, and diplomatic missions engaged in humanitarian work to reach. The Korean government plans to support a total of 5 million USD from 2020 to 2022. This amount is double the 2.5 million USD contribution made over the previous three years.

In response, Executive Director Beasley evaluated that the Korean government's response to COVID-19 has been very effective and expressed gratitude for Korea's support of WFP activities. He further emphasized that the international community is facing not only a health crisis but also a humanitarian crisis due to COVID-19, and stated that the international community must strengthen cooperation.

Earlier, WFP stressed that if a swift response to COVID-19 is not made, a famine could occur by the end of this year, with 265 million people in 36 countries facing a food crisis.

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