Increased Norwegian Efforts to Combat Hunger
Refugees are waiting for a food distribution from the WFP at the border between Sudan and Chad.
Norway is stepping up its efforts to fight hunger in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. Norway’s total support to the World Food Programme (WFP) amounts to NOK 524 million this year.
“At a time when war and extreme weather are driving global hunger upwards, WFP is an essential partner for Norway. Our support enables the organisation to scale up emergency assistance rapidly while also strengthening preventive work to improve long-term food security,” says Martin Samuelsen, Head of the Humanitarian Assistance Section at Norad.
Martin Samuelsen, Head of the Humanitarian Assistance Section at Norad.
Long-Term Partnership with WFP
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has entered into a new four-year agreement for core funding of NOK 430 million per year. This flexible financing strengthens WFP’s ability to respond quickly in crises, carry out strategic long-term work, and operate global humanitarian systems that enable other humanitarian actors to deliver effectively.
In addition, Norad has signed a new four-year agreement with WFP, which for this year means that the organisation will receive NOK 94 million in earmarked humanitarian funding. This agreement is also flexible: Norad does not set an annual budget ceiling but allocates funds continuously throughout the year based on humanitarian needs and assessments — including through the humanitarian reserve. This allows WFP to receive additional support if the situation requires it.
These funds help save lives, strengthen food security, and improve crisis management and efficient logistics on behalf of humanitarian organisations working in some of the world’s most challenging contexts.
Norad’s Agreement So Far This Year Includes:
- UNHAS – the humanitarian air transport system: NOK 14 million
- Global food security analysis (IPC): NOK 5 million for further development of global hunger monitoring systems
- Immediate Response Account (IRA): NOK 10 million for rapid response in acute crises
- Humanitarian crises:
- Sudan: NOK 30 million
- Myanmar: NOK 10 million
- Somalia: NOK 15 million (from the humanitarian reserve)
- Lebanon: NOK 10 million (from the humanitarian reserve)
People in Somalia are starving. Drought and war mean that millions lack food.
These allocations strengthen WFP’s work in countries affected by conflict, economic collapse and climate-related shocks — giving millions of people access to food, lifesaving transport services and better analysis of humanitarian needs.
Critical Support at a Time of Growing Needs
Norway is among the most predictable and flexible donors to WFP. The long-term partnership enables the organisation to plan more effectively, reduce costs and reach more people in need.
See also the news article on regjeringen.no: Norway provides NOK 1.7 billion to the World Food Programme to combat hunger and humanitarian need