Pope Leo XIV has called on governments and international organisations to strengthen efforts to combat global hunger, warning that humanitarian assistance is too often delayed by bureaucracy while conflicts continue to receive greater attention and resources.
Speaking during a visit to the headquarters of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome, the Pope urged world leaders to remove administrative obstacles that prevent food and emergency aid from reaching vulnerable communities.
He argued that humanitarian action should be guided by urgency rather than complicated procedures, stressing that millions of people facing hunger cannot afford unnecessary delays.
According to Pope Leo XIV, political and economic interests frequently take precedence over humanitarian needs, making it harder for international organisations to deliver assistance where it is needed most.
The pontiff also criticised what he described as an imbalance in global priorities, saying that the international community often mobilises resources more quickly for conflict than for humanitarian relief.
He called for increased financial support for organisations such as the World Food Programme, which continues to provide food assistance to millions of people affected by conflict, displacement and extreme poverty around the world.
The WFP has recently warned that funding pressures are affecting its ability to respond to growing humanitarian crises, as demand for emergency food assistance continues to rise in several regions.
Pope Leo XIV concluded by urging governments to place human dignity at the centre of international decision-making, saying that fighting hunger should remain a shared global responsibility rather than a secondary political priority.