WFP acting chief meets CA, reaffirms commitment to food aid for 1.3m Rohingyas
He made the remarks when he called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today at a hotel in the Italian capital, said the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing
World Food Programme (WFP) Acting Executive Director Carl Skau has reaffirmed the agency's commitment to mobilising food aid for 1.3 million Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh, saying the crisis remains one of the Rome‑based UN body's top priorities.
The acting WFP chief made the remarks when he called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today (14 October) at a hotel in the Italian capital, said the Chief Adviser's Press Wing.
The meeting focused primarily on the ongoing Rohingya crisis, famine situations in Gaza and Sudan, and the growing challenges in mobilising funds to combat global hunger affecting tens of millions.
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Skau praised Professor Yunus for his leadership over the past 15 months, particularly his efforts to bring international attention back to the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
Both leaders emphasised the urgent need for increased funding to support the Rohingyas residing in camps in Bangladesh.
Skau commended the 30 September high‑level UN meeting on the Rohingya issue — convened at Professor Yunus's request — stating that it had successfully "brought international attention back to the crisis."
"It was an important meeting. We must ensure it remains high on the international agenda," said Skau.
The two also discussed the potential for securing funding from new sources, including wealthy nations and multilateral financial institutions.
Skau noted that following fresh humanitarian aid commitments from the United States and the United Kingdom announced during the UN high‑level meeting in New York, WFP would continue providing the $12 monthly food stipend to each Rohingya.
Professor Yunus expressed appreciation for WFP's global leadership in combating hunger and famine. He also thanked the UN agency for its support in launching a new school feeding programme in Bangladesh.
"Some Asian countries have made remarkable progress with school feeding. We aim to strengthen our efforts, ensuring both quality and gradual expansion," the Chief Adviser said.
The discussion also touched on global hunger. Skau mentioned WFP's ongoing efforts to deliver hundreds of food trucks into Gaza, amid rising food insecurity affecting nearly 300 million people worldwide.
Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam were present at the meeting.
