WFP executive director to visit Mali and Senegal

Dakar, 8 November 2007 – The Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Josette Sheeran, will visit west Africa 12-16 November, to highlight the need for renewed attention on the
region’s ‘silent emergencies’.

A gathering storm of factors including desertification, land degradation, spiralling food prices in the face of the rise of biofuels, child malnutrition and low school enrolment rates is making
life for the region’s rural poor more challenging than ever.

“WFP is working in partnership throughout West Africa to address chronic malnutrition and climatic shock, and to ensure food security,” said Josette Sheeran.

“I look forward to meeting national and village-level leaders, as well as our beneficiaries, to discuss how we can beat hunger at its root.”

Poorest of the poor

From 12-14 November, Ms Sheeran will visit WFP projects in Mali which are helping to tackle these issues.

Mali is one of the world’s poorest countries in one of poorest regions in the world, and many of its rural poor – the people WFP is already assisting – are amongst the first to suffer new
threats such as climate change and rising global commodity prices.

Ms Sheeran will conclude her trip by attending a regional meeting in Dakar followed by a press conference, on Thursday November 15th at 18:00 in the WFP regional bureau (10, Avenue Pasteur,
angle Gallieni, Dakar Etoile).