David Beasley, the head of United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) stated a 2% donation from Elon Musk fortune can save 42M people brink of starvation. Mr. Beasley who has has been campaigning for “one-time basis” donation from the world’s richest added,
“Billionaires need to “step up now, on a one-time basis,” during an interview with Becky Anderson on Tuesday that aired on CNN.
World Food Programme Report
According to a report released by WFP on Monday points out:
- Covid-19 and climate change is closing in another severe issue, “famine.”
- 22.8M people in Afghanistan will face acute hunger.
- 3.2M children under five at are risk.
- Pervasive unemployment and liquidity crisis.
- Wide-reach climate change drives migration.
- 5.2M in Ethiopia under urgent need of food assistance.
In the interview, Mr. Beasley pointed only a 2% from Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, could help combat global hunger.
“I’m not picking on them. I’m saying, ‘Great, you made money. Please, please help share right now in a one-time crisis.” said he.
Elon Musk responds
On Sunday, Elon responded to the tweet saying,
“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. But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent. “
.@elonmusk! Headline not accurate. $6B will not solve world hunger, but it WILL prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation. An unprecedented crisis and a perfect storm due to Covid/conflict/climate crises.
— David Beasley (@WFPChief) October 31, 2021
The executive director pointed out $6b won’t instantly end world hunger but it will :
.@elonmusk Instead of tweets, allow me to show you. We can meet anywhere—Earth or space—but I suggest in the field where you can see @WFP’s people, processes and yes, technology, at work. I will bring the plan, and open books.
— David Beasley (@WFPChief) November 1, 2021
The owner of Tesla, Elon Musk’s estimated net worth by Forbes Magazine is more than $US315 billion ($420 billion). Given the high accumulation of his Tesla shares, the net worth has accelerated dramatically in the past few weeks. Last week Tesla reached the $1 trillion market cap and became the sixth company in US to do so. After Facebook, Tesla is the second fastest company to achieve the milestone.
If Musk agrees, Mr. Beasley is ready for transparency plan and open books anywhere, earth or space.
WFP
The UN’s World Food Programme was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for their efforts to end World Hunger. In 2019 alone the Programme assisted 100M people in 88 countries. The organization with the help of other aids feeds millions in countries like: Yemen, Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
Countries that have growing conflict will most likely reach the edge of starvation. Yemen, Nigeria, South Sudan and Afghanistan and many other countries might get heavily affected. The WFP further states some of the ways to address the risk of famine :
- Rapid Response
- Emergency Food Assistance
- Long-term strategies
Sum UP
Here are some key points that sums up:
- Elon Musk ready to donate $6b to anti-famine branch, if they are able to prove it ends world hunger.
- WFP pleads wealthy for the “one-time basis” donation to combat world hunger.
- War and conflicts bound countries will reach the edge of starvation.
- However, the meeting between the World’s richest man and WFP head is not clear.
