WFP’s David Beasley Tells Elon Musk, ‘Give $6.6 Billion To Save 42 Million People, Shock Us All!’

Nov. 21, 2021 (EIRNS)—UN World Food Program Director David Beasley on Nov. 20 tweeted to Elon Musk “Imagine if you could give $6.6 billion to save 42 million people on the brink of starvation, and your stock value goes up more than you gave. It is a win. @elonmusk, shock us all. Just do it!”

In October, Musk had replied to Beasley’s repeated requests that Musk and fellow billionaires just donate the funds for the resources to roll back and end the starvation threat now gripping 42 million people. Musk asked Beasley to show him exactly how this money would do the job.

On Nov. 3, Beasley provided the answer to Musk, with a posting on the World Food Program site headlined, “A One-Time Appeal to Billionaires.” The “Summary” section of the “WFP’s Plan To Assist 42 Million People Facing Famine,” gives the detailed breakdown of the $6.6 billion in funds needed, in four areas: 1) $3.5 billion for food and its delivery (from shipping and warehousing, to “last mile” delivery); 2) $2 billion for cash and food vouchers (where local markets function; this also supports local economies): 3) $700 million for country-specific costs to design, scale up and manage the food shipments, cash transfers and related, where conditions require ongoing operations, including offices and security functions; 4) $400 million for global and regional operations, logistics and administration (from aviation, to freight contracting, to auditors and hunger mapping).

This is a “seismic hunger crisis,” states the Appeal at the outset, citing, “A perfect storm of conflict, climate crises, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising costs for reaching people in need is causing a seismic hunger crisis. $6.6 billion would help stave off starvation for 42 million people across 43 countries.”

On Nov. 15, Beasley tweeted, “This hunger crisis is urgent, unprecedented, AND avoidable. Elon Musk, 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.”

The WFP Nov. 3 summary appeal provides a link to a posting of details, including a table of data on how many people are in acute need in each of six world regions; and then a table for the “Top 10” of the “Planned Allocation to 43 Recipient Countries.” These 10, and 33 more nations altogether, add up to a total financial need of $6.596 billion. The time period is, as early as possible.

For example, in money terms, Yemen tops the list. What is needed are $1.233 billion, to provide $792.9 million in getting food there, and providing an additional $439.9 million in cash transfers and vouchers. This is to rescue 5.105 million people in the category of acute need.

Afghanistan has more people in acute need—near starvation, listed as 5.5 million, but less funding is needed, estimated at $469.5 million in total ($383 million in food, and $88.1 in cash transfers and vouchers).

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has 6.729 million people on the brink of starvation, for whom just $231.6 million would make the difference.