Cindy McCain tapped to lead UN World Food Programme
By Barbie Nadeau, Lindsay Isaac, Jennifer Hansler and Sydney Kashiwagi, CNN
US diplomat Cindy McCain, the widow of the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, was appointed Thursday to head the United Nations’ World Food Programme.
McCain, currently the US ambassador to the UN Agencies in Rome, will succeed the organization’s current executive director, David Beasley, once his term ends April 4.
“Ambassador, your extraordinary experience and leadership will be critical as conflicts, climate shocks and hunger soar. Look forward to working together, our transition will be seamless,” Beasley said in a tweet Thursday.
The World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian organization in the world that provides food assistance to people recovering from conflicts and disasters, as well as those suffering the impacts of climate change.
McCain said Thursday that she was “deeply honored” by the appointment.
“I am ready to roll up my sleeves and spend time both in Rome and in the field, deepening my understanding of WFP’s vital work, and making sure it continues to grow to meet the needs of a hungry world,” she said in a statement. “I can’t wait to work with the incredible team at WFP — their dedication and commitment to a better world is an inspiration to me, and to us all.”
McCain, a longtime ally of President Joe Biden, was confirmed to her current post by the US Senate in 2021, four months after Biden had nominated her as ambassador to the US mission in Rome, which supports UN efforts to end global hunger and expand access to quality food across the world.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked McCain for her service and expressed confidence in her leadership going into her new role.
“We are grateful for Ambassador McCain’s service as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, where she has led implementation of our food security policies,” he said in a statement, adding that he was “confident that she will bring renewed energy, optimism, and success” to the WFP.
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