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The announcement was made this Friday in Oslo by the president of the committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, who justified the distinction of the WFP with “your efforts to combat hunger, your contribution to improving peace conditions in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. ”
“The World Food Program is the world’s largest humanitarian organization to tackle hunger and promote food security. In 2019 it provided assistance to almost 100 million people in 88 countries, ”the committee noted.
“The new coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a sharp increase in the number of hunger victims around the world,” he lamented, and later praised the World Food Program for “having demonstrated an impressive capacity to intensify its efforts” during this crisis. .
“Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos”, defended the organization.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee recalls, in its award presentation text, that “the link between hunger and armed conflict is a vicious circle” and that it occurs in countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria or Burkina Faso.
“War and conflict can cause food insecurity and hunger, just as hunger and food security can cause latent conflicts that lead to the use of violence. We will never achieve the goal of abolishing hunger if we do not end war and armed conflict”.
BREAKING NEWS:
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize to the World Food Program (WFP).#Nobel Prize #Nobel Peace Prize pic.twitter.com/fjnKfXjE3E– The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 9, 2020
The Norwegian Nobel Committee hopes, with the option of awarding the prize to the WFP, “Set the world’s eyes on the millions of people who suffer or face the threat of hunger”.
“The World Food Program plays a key role in multilateral cooperation to make food security an instrument of peace and has contributed strongly to the mobilization of United Nations member states to combat hunger as a weapon of war and conflict” .
The organization “contributes daily to promote the fraternity of nations that Alfred Nobel [químico e inventor sueco que doou a sua fortuna para criar o Prémio Nobel] He said it was his will, ”the committee writes.
“The work of the World Food Program for the benefit of humanity It is an effort that all the nations of the world should be able to defend and support.“, He adds.
The list of candidates for the 2020 edition of the Nobel Peace Prize numbered 211 people and 107 organizations and the laureate will receive the prize of 10 million SEK (almost one million euros), as well as a diploma and a medal.
Pedro Matos, coordinator of the World Food Program, told RTP that the nomination is cause for satisfaction. “This is the recognition that our work is also a contribution to peace in the world”, he stated.
The official explained that the hunger situation in the world worsened drastically with the pandemic, from 130 million to 170 million people in a situation of severe food insecurity.
“This is a time when traditional donor countries are turning inward and investing heavily to combat the pandemic., and these are the countries that contribute the most to the emergency response, ”explained Pedro Matos.
This retraction in funding is therefore a concern “at a time when we have an immense increase in financial needs to combat food insecurity in the world.”
The WFP coordinator also explained that food distribution is always more difficult in countries where “the governments themselves are seen as part of the conflict” and informed RTP about some of the difficulties in negotiations in countries at war.
The United Nations World Food Program has proudly received the news of its Nobel Peace Prize, a spokesman for the organization said moments after the announcement by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
“It is a moment of pride”Tomson Phiri said at a regular press conference in Geneva, shortly after learning live that his organization had been honored.
“One of the wonders of WFP’s activities is that We not only provide food for today and tomorrow, but we also provide people with the knowledge they need to provide themselves in the days to come“said the spokesman.
Founded in 1961 with headquarters in Rome and funded entirely by voluntary contributions, WFP claims to have distributed 15 billion meals and assisted 97 million in 88 countries last year.
Despite the size of the numbers, the organization says they represent only a fraction of total needs.
c / The day after tomorrow
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