International

WFP chief McCain calls on world not to forget Sudan, other countries amid focus on Gaza

World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain, wife of former Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, smiles as she arrives for the public ceremonial inauguration of Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs at the state Capitol in Phoenix, Jan. 5, 2023.

World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain called on the world to not forget about other countries on the brink of famine as the global community zeroes its focus on Gaza.

“I’m hoping that the world does not lose track of these countries that are in such desperate need,” McCain said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper.

“Right now, Gaza is getting all the attention,” she continued, “And understandably, but we cannot forget Sudan, DRC Congo, Somalia, Yemen, Haiti, as you mentioned.”

“These are parts of the world that are literally on the brink of causing some even larger food crisis that are already, already happening right now. And I’ll speak specifically to Sudan on that,” she added.

McCain, who has publicly raised the alarm about the possibility of famine in Gaza, said she has also focused her work on the crisis unfolding in Sudan and elsewhere.

According to the WFP, nearly 18 million people in Sudan are facing “acute food insecurity,” and 7.7 million people have been displaced, inside and outside of Sudan, since April 2023.