Food security and a “zero-hunger world” are the themes still resonating following upon the efforts of the Italian government to give these issues prominence at the Expo Milan 2015 exhibition. These were also topics on the agenda for the first official visit of Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The head of Italian diplomacy visited the Rome-based UN agency, and met its Executive Director, Ms. Ertharin Cousin, as well as the top executives and the staff of the WFP before visiting the Peace Garden. Mr. Gentiloni then stood before the Memorial Wall to pay tribute to the WFP humanitarian officers who have lost their lives during their missions. In 2015, the Universal Exhibition consolidated the partnership with the WFP on themes of food safety and security while implementing the principles of the Milan Charter. Italy supports numerous programs carried out by the WFP to tackle the critical humanitarian crisis in Syria, which is impactful on the whole region.
Italy and WFP activities
Italy has been hosting the World Food Programme (WFP) Headquarters since its inception over 50 years ago and in 2015, the country contributed to the agency’s activities with a donation of more than 25,000 dollars. Italy is also the major donor of the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD), which is based in Brindisi and run by the WFP on behalf of the humanitarian community. The WFP is the major humanitarian agency fighting against world hunger by providing food assistance during emergencies. The organization also works together with local communities to improve nutrition and enhance resilience. Additionally the World Food Programme provides assistance, on average, to 80 million people in over 80 countries every year.
