WFP Warns 20% Hormuz Cost Spike Will Cut Aid as Funding Falls to $6.4 Billion
Updated
Updated · The Japan Times · May 22
WFP Warns 20% Hormuz Cost Spike Will Cut Aid as Funding Falls to $6.4 Billion
2 articles · Updated · The Japan Times · May 22
Cindy McCain said the World Food Programme may have to feed fewer people because transport costs for food and relief supplies have jumped 20% after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed.
Ships carrying aid are taking longer detours, raising fuel bills and delaying deliveries, and McCain said "lives are at stake" unless the key waterway reopens.
The warning comes as WFP funding dropped to about $6.4 billion in 2025 from roughly $9.75 billion in 2024, amid deep U.S. foreign-aid cuts and broader shifts toward defense spending.
In Tokyo, McCain thanked Japan for maintaining its support during the shortfall; she is due to step down as WFP executive director at the end of May for health reasons.
With aid budgets slashed and shipping lanes blocked, is the world's food safety net about to collapse?
As a global food crisis deepens, can diplomacy reopen a vital waterway before millions more starve?
What is the ultimate price of closing the world's most critical shipping lane amid a record hunger crisis?
Global Hunger at Record Highs: WFP Faces 40% Funding Cut Amid Geopolitical and Economic Shocks
Overview
The World Food Programme (WFP) is facing an unprecedented funding crisis, with its 2025 budget dropping to $6.4 billion—a 40% cut from the previous year—just as global hunger reaches record highs. This severe shortfall creates an immediate and dire challenge for humanitarian efforts, leaving millions already on the brink of starvation at even greater risk. Currently, 319 million people are struggling with acute food insecurity, and an additional 13.7 million could be pushed into emergency hunger if aid is further reduced. The situation demands urgent action to prevent a deepening global hunger crisis.