U.N World Food Program's Afghan Relief Effort Overpriced

[chanel]

The United Nations’ World Food Program, or WFP, is preparing to launch a mammoth, three-year relief operation in Afghanistan this year for 7.4 million people at a cost of $1.2 billion — but less than half of that amount will actually go to purchasing food for the war-ravaged country.

The majority of the money — nearly $730 million — is being spent on shipping, land transportation, handling, office construction and U.N. staffing and administration costs, according to program documents obtained by Fox News. Outside experts consulted by Fox News say that some of the costs are more than 100 percent higher than they need to be.

WFP’s response is that some of its costs are actually less than in the past, and that higher expenses are required because of the nature of the new relief operation. In other words, they say they’re inefficient because they need to be.

Sticker Shock: Experts Say World Food Program's Afghan Relief Effort Overpriced - United Nations - FOXNews.com

This stuff makes me nuts.

 

[uscitizen]

Yep it is about like giving money to Pat Robertson for Haiti. Most of the money is spent for more airtime for Pat to beg for more money.

 

[WillowTree]

Food for Poppy Juice huh? The United States is so damn dumb for sticking with that corrupt organization.

 

[uscitizen]

Lots of profit to be made from others misery and goodwill.

 

[chanel]

Yep it is about like giving money to Pat Robertson for Haiti. Most of the money is spent for more airtime for Pat to beg for more money.

Agreed. My son went to Uganda with a small NGO and although they were legit, it's amazing how many charlatans there are exploiting the poor. Some of these pretend "do gooders" recruit young people to go to Africa and other impoverished areas just to get their pictures taken with smiling orphans to they can solicit more donations from naive Americans. It's disgusting. Nonetheless, the reality is that graft and corruption is actually figured into many budgets. If you don't pay off the guys at the dock, the food will sit and spoil. I don't know what the solution is, but we know the U.N. will always take a cut for their corrupt diplomats - and it's big, big bucks.

 

[uscitizen]

The reason people in the world are hungry is money or lack thereof.
It is not becuse we do not have or cannot raise enough food. But those who cannot afford to buy it go hungry.

 

[chanel]

Maybe, but in this case it doesn't seem like lack of money either. Twice as many people would be fed without the "corruption tax". And while I'm not in the mood for a political debate today, I always say "teach a man to fish..." That's why I'm in the business I'm in.

 

[uscitizen]

Maybe, but in this case it doesn't seem like lack of money either. Twice as many people would be fed without the "corruption tax". And while I'm not in the mood for a political debate today, I always say "teach a man to fish..." That's why I'm in the business I'm in.

Not much Fishing in Afganistan I think.

Kinda hard to even raise your poppies when people are shooting at you.

 

[chanel]

Good point. Don't know what they can grow there besides poppy. I was thinking of Africa. My son said many of the people have land, but they don't know how to farm it.