Dutch cabinet raises World Food Programme funding to €76m
The Dutch cabinet is raising its 2026 contribution to the UN World Food Programme to €76m after the agency said it must sharply cut support to Gaza.
The Dutch cabinet is raising its 2026 contribution to the World Food Programme (WFP) by €19m, to a total of €76m. The cabinet says it is seriously concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation, including in Gaza and Sudan.
The WFP recently announced it must drastically reduce its support to Gaza because of acute funding shortages. According to the WFP, this directly affects half a million people. The cabinet says Gaza remains one of the absolute priority areas where shortages are felt most, because of continuing violence and large-scale displacement.
The cabinet says the WFP plays a crucial role in preventing famine. The money is multi-year, flexible funding, so the WFP can decide for itself where it is needed most, based on the scale and severity of need.
I keep calling on other countries to give more humanitarian aid too. I also keep stressing that in international forums and in talks with my colleagues.Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
Sjoerdsma says more is needed. The Netherlands will also keep pressing for a lasting end to violence and for safe, unhindered and unconditional access to conflict zones for professional aid organisations, the cabinet says.
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WFP (Wereldvoedselprogramma)
The World Food Programme is the United Nations agency that delivers food assistance to people affected by conflict, natural disasters and hunger, in emergencies and longer-term crises. It is one of the largest humanitarian organisations in the world and works mainly by providing food, cash transfers and logistics in the field. The Netherlands funds it as a donor, so Dutch contributions to the WFP are a standard channel for government humanitarian food aid abroad.