Pope Leo XIV Calls for Global Re-balancing of Hunger Aid and War Funding

On 22 June 2026 Pope Leo XIV visited the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters in Rome. The WFP, the world’s largest food-aid agency, reported 266 million people in 48 countries were acutely food-insecure in 2025 and warned that insecurity would worsen for millions in 13 countries between June and November 2026. Funding pressures have intensified, with a 59 % drop in assistance funding since 2022. The United States, the programme’s biggest donor, announced a new $800 million contribution after earlier cuts halved planned funding.

The Straits TimesPope Leo decries leaders who ‘feed’ wars while millions go hungryThe Independent

Pope Leo XIV warned that “global priorities are badly skewed,” saying wars are “fed” more readily than the hungry. He described the situation as reflecting operational shortcomings and a fundamental imbalance in political and moral priorities, and declared access to adequate food a “fundamental human right grounded in the dignity of every person.” He linked food security to “global and integral security” and urged governments to raise spending on hunger relief, cut bureaucratic barriers and shift resources from defence and domestic priorities. WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau echoed the Pope’s concern, noting that conflicts tear apart the structures that keep food on the table. Former WFP executive director Cindy McCain praised the Pope as a powerful voice for the hungry. The Pope did not name any specific national leaders.

The IndependentPope Leo decries leaders who ‘feed’ wars while millions go hungryPope Leo Tells World Leaders to Stop Feeding Wars, Feed the Hungry

The WFP delivered 15.6 billion daily rations to 121 million people in 2025, funded by $6.5 billion in voluntary donations. It seeks $13 billion for 2026, with the United States contributing $800 million after earlier cuts.

The Straits Times

Staff in Venezuela, Lebanon, Senegal and South Sudan reported security challenges and limited aid access. Cyril Noujeim said, “We don’t know whether we are at war or in a ceasefire, or in peace,” but affirmed the WFP’s pledge to “never leave anyone behind.”

Pope to UN: World feeds conflicts faster than it feeds the hungry

• “In effect, conflicts are ‘fed’ more readily than people are nourished.” — Pope Leo XIV, Pope

Pope Leo slams leaders who ‘feed’ conflicts while millions go hungry

• “Access to food is a fundamental human right grounded in the dignity of every person,” — Pope Leo XIV, Pope

Pope Leo Tells World Leaders to Stop Feeding Wars, Feed the Hungry

• “You have spoken for them with courage and with love -- not as statistics, but as brothers and sisters, human beings made in the image of God, deserving of dignity, of care, and of enough food to live and to thrive,” — Cindy McCain, Former Executive Director, WFP

Pope to UN: World feeds conflicts faster than it feeds the hungry

• “Conflicts tear apart the structures that keep food on the table: markets, farms, roads and trust,” — Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director, WFP

Pope Leo XIV at WFP: 'Food is a fundamental human right'

The WFP aims to raise $13 billion for 2026, using the U.S. pledge as a benchmark. The Pope’s appeal is expected to shape upcoming UN discussions on humanitarian financing and national budget priorities.

The Straits Times