ASIATODAY.ID, DAVOS – As global political and business elites convene at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this week, the United Nations has issued a stark warning: soaring hunger and forced displacement are no longer just humanitarian emergencies — they are rapidly becoming systemic threats to global economic stability.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports that an estimated 318 million people worldwide are now facing crisis-level hunger or worse, with hundreds of thousands already living in famine-like conditions.
The crisis is being compounded by severe funding shortfalls, forcing WFP to cut food rations and scale back life-saving assistance at precisely the moment when global needs are surging.
For 2026, WFP funding is projected to reach less than half of its required US$13 billion budget, leaving the agency able to assist only around 110 million people — barely one-third of those in urgent need.
Hunger Is Undermining Global Markets
“Hunger fuels displacement, conflict, and instability — and these forces don’t just threaten lives, they disrupt the very markets businesses depend on,” said Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation on January 19, 2026.
“The world cannot build stable markets on a foundation of 318 million hungry people.”
Speaking from Davos, Dagash-Kamara stressed that the private sector has a direct and immediate stake in tackling global food insecurity, urging companies to invest in resilient supply chains, food systems, technology, and innovation to stabilize fragile economies and protect global workforces.
WFP is calling on business leaders to keep hunger and food security at the top of their strategic agendas, support food-related technologies, and strengthen supply-chain systems that underpin global trade.
Migration: A Growth Engine, Not a Burden
The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) is delivering a parallel message at Davos, challenging long-held perceptions of migration as an economic liability.
“Migration is one of the most powerful drivers of development when managed responsibly,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General.
According to IOM, human mobility can unlock economic potential, help communities become self-reliant, and provide sustainable solutions to displacement — while respecting national sovereignty and human rights.
Innovation, Diaspora Capital, and New Markets
IOM highlighted how partnerships with private companies and foundations are already reshaping migration outcomes. These include the use of artificial intelligence to improve health screening and labour-market policy, as well as programmes supporting vocational training, entrepreneurship, and long-term solutions for displaced populations.
At Davos, the agency is also emphasizing the economic power of diaspora communities as investors and innovators.
By leveraging remittances and diaspora capital, IOM aims to create new markets, expand digital financial access, generate jobs, and reduce long-term aid dependency.
Senior UN officials attending the forum include UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, and IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
The message from the United Nations at Davos is unambiguous: ignoring hunger and displacement today risks triggering a far deeper global economic crisis tomorrow. (AT Network)
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