Cindy McCain took over Wednesday as the new head of the World Food Program.
She said in a statement her priorities for the U.N. agency were increasing its resources, improving its effectiveness and scaling up partnerships and innovation.
McCain begins her tenure at a time when the World Food Program estimates more than 345 million people are facing a food insecurity crisis.
“We need even closer collaboration with our partners to reverse this unparalleled crisis,” McCain said. “Today we are asking new friends — especially from the private sector — to step up and join us. The world must not turn its back on the hungry.”
McCain has been the U.S. ambassador to the three U.N. food and agriculture agencies in Rome since 2021. She is the widow of former U.S. Senator John McCain.