WFP chief warns proposed EU aid cuts could weaken Europe’s influence
Carl Skau says a proposed €38 billion reduction to the EU’s external-aid budget could cost the bloc trust and leverage as food needs rise.
The EU’s Global Europe development and external-aid budget could fall by €38 billion under the Irish Council presidency’s latest compromise in seven-year budget talks, POLITICO reported on 19 October. World Food Programme acting chief Carl Skau warned that such a cut could weaken Europe’s influence over international aid at a time of rising food insecurity.
The proposal would reduce the envelope by roughly 17% to €177 billion, according to POLITICO. It is a negotiating position, with European leaders still at odds over how much to fund the EU and its programmes in the next seven-year budget.
Why Carl Skau says EU aid spending carries influence
Skau told POLITICO that the European Commission had remained a predictable donor while others cut spending. That record had earned Europe ‘a lot of trust, a lot capital, a lot of leverage in the international system,’ he said. He urged the EU to protect an ambitious budget, arguing that humanitarian aid was ‘peanuts’ compared with the billions going to defence.
POLITICO reported that Europe’s donor role had helped shape WFP priorities on gender equality, climate action and protecting vulnerable populations. WFP’s published 2026–2029 strategic plan sets out its work on urgent food and nutrition needs in fragile and emergency settings, alongside resilience and support for government food-security programmes.
Food aid pressure as EU budget talks continue
WFP’s global funding has fallen 40% over the past two years, POLITICO reported, citing the agency’s records. The United States, its largest donor, halved its contributions in 2025 compared with the previous year; Germany, France and the United Kingdom also tightened spending. WFP projects that as many as 363 million people could face acute food insecurity this year, nearly 90% more than in 2021.
Skau said cuts were already forcing the agency to make ‘impossible choices’ between people needing food. He identified women and children in South Sudan, Afghanistan and Somalia as among those at risk of losing support. Wars, extreme weather, a possible El Niño and disruption to trade routes are adding to hunger pressures, POLITICO reported.
Skau is serving as WFP’s interim chief after Cindy McCain’s departure and is due to hand over to Luke Lindberg at the end of October. The proposed EU reduction remains part of budget negotiations; its final size and any effect on WFP funding have yet to be determined.
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Sources and context
- EU’s ‘trust’ and ‘leverage’ at stake over development cuts, UN food aid boss warnsPOLITICO Europe
- WFP Strategic Plan 2026-2029World Food Programme
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.