[Global Network Reporter zhangqian] According to the latest reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) warned on the 15th local time that the drastic cuts in funds by major western donors such as the United States are causing rescue operations in six countries to be blocked, and about 13.7 million people may be forced into "emergency" level hunger.

The Associated Press said that the World Food Agency said in its latest report that the organization's funding situation faces "unprecedented challenges," mainly due to significant cuts in funding by the U.S. government and other major Western donors. According to the World Food Agency, its funding this year will be reduced by 40%, and its budget will drop to US$6.4 billion from US$10 billion last year. In addition, the group expects to receive about $1.5 billion in funding from the United States this year, well below last year's $4.5 billion.

¡°It¡¯s not just a funding shortage, it¡¯s a real gap between what we need to do and what we can do,¡± said WHO Executive Director Cindy McCain, who said, ¡°We are at risk of putting decades of progress in fighting hunger into the east.¡±

According to the report, WFP's aid operations in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan are facing "major disruptions". McCain said, "We are watching the lifelines of millions of people unravel in front of us."

A number of UN agencies, including the Migration Agency, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Refugee Agency, have announced significant cuts in aid and job cuts this year due to cuts in support from major donors.

It is understood that the World Food Agency mentioned in a report released last month that US$16.9 billion will be needed in 2025 to assist hungry groups. The report pointed out that so far, 343 million people in 74 countries are facing sudden food insecurity, an increase of 10% from last year and nearly 200 million more than before the epidemic. In many countries where WFP operates, the environment has become increasingly complex, implementing aid has become more difficult and costly.