UN chief thanks outgoing World Food Programme head Cindy McCain

The UN Secretary-General has expressed “deep appreciation” to Cindy McCain as she steps down from her role as Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), praising her leadership during a period of global food crises.

In a statement delivered by UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General said Ms McCain had helped make the agency “leaner, faster and more agile” in responding to emergencies around the world.

During her tenure, she is credited with strengthening accountability systems, encouraging innovation, and advancing humanitarian diplomacy. The UN also highlighted that under her leadership, the WFP continued to deliver life-saving assistance to nearly 100 million people each year.

The statement said Ms McCain played a key role in securing new funding sources, expanding partnerships, and improving the safety and wellbeing of both staff and aid recipients.

The Secretary-General thanked her for her “steadfast commitment” to tackling global hunger and malnutrition, and wished her success in her future endeavours.

Carl Skau has now been appointed as Acting Executive Director of the WFP. He previously served as Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer since May 2023.

His appointment comes at what the UN described as a “critical moment”, with more than 360 million people worldwide currently facing acute food insecurity.

The process to select a permanent Executive Director will now begin. It will be jointly overseen by the UN Secretary-General and the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization.