UN shares plan to spend $6bn to end hunger, says ready to talk with Elon Musk
Over two weeks since SpaceX founder Elon Musk asked the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) to describe how six billion USD would save world hunger and the UN programme finally responded to it on Tuesday.
David Beasley, executive director of the WFP, said that they were ready to talk with Musk and anybody who is “serious” about saving lives. He also shared the WFP’s plan outlining the breakdown of the amount (6.6 billion USD) that would be spent to save 42 million people from famine.
Why is the UN asking $ 6.6 billion?
It all started with an interview by Beasley to American news network CNN. “The billionaires need to step up now. On a one-time basis, six billion dollars (USD), to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don’t reach them. It’s not complicated,” an animated Beasley told during an interview in ‘Connect the World’ program.
He also said that it was a one-time donation and not something that people need to do “everyday or every week.” He pointed out that the top 400 billionaires in the US saw an increase in net worth of 1.8 trillion USD in the last year and said “All I am asking for is 0.36% of your net worth increase.”
But why Musk?
Notably, during the interview, Beasly said, “Just last week Elon Musk had a 6-billion-dollars net worth increase in one day.” CNN then reported that the billionaire is worth $289 billion and the WFP is asking for a mere 2% donation.
Responding to the article, Musk on October 31 said that he would sell stocks of his popular company Tesla and donate if the WFP can explain its claims.
“If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it,” he tweeted. “But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent,” he also said.
WFP’s plan
Meanwhile, the Beasley on the day said, “This hunger crisis is urgent, unprecedented, AND avoidable. @elonmusk, you asked for a clear plan & open books. Here it is! We’re ready to talk with you – and anyone else – who is serious about saving lives. The ask is $6.6B to avert famine in 2022.”
So here is the breakup of the amount issued by the WFP. Of the total $3.5 billion would be used for food and delivery which includes the cost of shipping and transport to the destination country, warehousing and last mile delivery that also includes security escorts in conflict zones.
For cash and food vouchers in countries where the markets can function, $2billion has been earmarked by the WFP. While $700 million and $400 million would respectively be used for “country-specific costs to design, scale up and manage the implementation of efficient and effective programmes” and “lobal and regional operations management, administration and accountability.”
Only five countries — Afghanistan, Madagascar, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen — account for 20 million people, Beasley highlighted. “They are the frontlines of hunger. What I’ve seen in each of these countries is worse than you can possibly imagine,” he said.
Meanwhile, Musk is yet to respond to Beasley’s call for further talks on any of the social media platforms.