WFP / COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPACT HUNGER

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that in many vulnerable countries the economic effects of the COVID19 pandemic could cause more deaths from hunger than the virus itself especially in areas of conflict like NE Nigeria, DR Congo, Yemen and South Sudan. WFP

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:33
• Production Date: 18 September 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: DAVID BEASLEY
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: CONFLICT SITUATION; FOOD SECURITY; HUNGER
• Geographic Subject: BURKINA FASO; NIGERIA; YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 2559217
• Parent Id: 2559217
• Alternate Title: unifeed200918d

Description

STORY: WFP / COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPACT HUNGER
TRT: 3:33
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 17 SEPTEMBER 2020, ROME, ITALY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – 08 SEPTEMBER 2020, TAIZ, YEMEN

1. Various shots, destruction from fighting in Taiz

17 SEPTEMBER 2020, ROME, ITALY

2. SOUNDBITE (English) David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP):
“This is obviously a great danger that many more people will die from the broader economic and social consequences of COVID-19 than from the virus itself, especially in Africa and the last thing we need is to have the cure be worse than the disease itself. And so, your continued support for humanitarian programs is critical right now.”

FILE – 11 SEPTEMBER 2020, HODEIDAH, YEMEN

3. Various shots, Othman market in Hodeidah.

17 SEPTEMBER 2020, ROME, ITALY

4. SOUNDBITE (English) David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP):
“We need $4.9 billion just for one year, to keep that 30 million alone, just that 30 million so they won’t die, they need our assistance. Well, worldwide, there are over 2,000 billionaires with a net worth of $8 trillion. In my home country, the USA, there are 12 individuals who are worth $1 trillion. In fact, reports state that three of them made billions upon billions during COVID. I am not opposed to anyone making money, BUT humanity is facing the greatest crisis any of us have seen in our lifetimes. It is time for those who have the most to step up, to help those who have the least in this extraordinary time in world history.”

FILE – 05 JULY 2020, SANA’A, YEMEN

5. Various shots, long queues for petrol.

FILE – 08 SEPTEMBER 2020, SANA’A, YEMEN

6. Various shots, child being tested for malnutrition and treated by WFP with special fortified foods

FILE – 07 FEBRUARY 2020, NGALA, NIGERIA

7. Various shots, aftermath of attack on a UN Compound in Ngala, showing burned WFP vehicles with bullet holes

FILE – 16 SEPTEMBER 2020, MAIDIGURI, NIGERIA

8. Various shots, marketplace

FILE – 15 SEPTEMBER 2020, MAIDIGURI, NIGERIA

9. Aerial shot, camp for people displaced by fighting
10. Various shots, mothers with their children wait for malnutrition testing and receive WFP special fortified foods

FILE – 07 FEBRUARY 2020, MAIDIGURI, NIGERIA

11. Various shots, WFP storage warehouse and food rations loading onto truck for distribution in camps for displaced people in Borno State.

FILE – 02 APRIL 2020, KAYA, BURKINA FASO

12. Various shots, WFP food distribution with COVID19 prevention methods

Storyline

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that in many vulnerable countries the economic effects of the COVID19 pandemic could cause more deaths from hunger than the virus itself especially in areas of conflict like NE Nigeria, DR Congo, Yemen and South Sudan.
Briefing via video teleconference, WFP Chief David Beasley on Thursday (17 Sep) told the Security Council that “continued support for humanitarian programs is critical right now.”

4.9 billion US dollars are needed to prevent 30 million people from dying, according to the WFP

Beasley said, “worldwide, there are over 2,000 billionaires with a net worth of $8 trillion. In my home country, the USA, there are 12 individuals who are worth $1 trillion. In fact, reports state that three of them made billions upon billions during COVID. I am not opposed to anyone making money, BUT humanity is facing the greatest crisis any of us have seen in our lifetimes. It is time for those who have the most to step up, to help those who have the least in this extraordinary time in world history.”

Fighting and the Covid-19 Pandemic has left Yemen is on the brink of economic collapse. Foreign currency reserves are nearing zero, while the currency is in free fall. 20 million people are already in crisis due to war currently raging across over 40 frontlines.

Food prices are on average 140 percent higher than before the conflict, together with the depreciation of the exchange rate threatens to cause a dramatic food security crisis.

Severe fuel shortages have hit the northern areas of Yemen, resulting in long queues at petrol stations. People are queuing for two or three days to fill up their vehicles.

Nearly half of all children are stunted by malnutrition and 2 million children require treatment for acute malnutrition of which 360,000 are at risk of dying without treatment.

In Nigeria, fighting in the north east of the country has left 4.3 million people food insecure, up by 600,000 largely due to COVID-19. Measures imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced incomes in 80 percent of households.

In Burkina Faso attacks from non-state armed groups and drought have displaced over 830,000 people in one year. The number of people facing crisis levels of hunger has tripled to 3.3 million people, as COVID-19 compounds displacement, security and access problems. For 11,000 of these people living in the northern provinces, famine is literally knocking on the door.