World Food Programme chief urges billionaires like Musk and Bezos ‘to step up’

David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (John Minchillo/AP)

The head of the UN’s World Food Programme told billionaires it is “time to step up” as the global threat of food insecurity rises with Russia’s war in Ukraine – saying he has seen encouraging signs from some of the world’s richest people, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Agency executive director David Beasley built upon a social media back-and-forth he had with Musk last year, when the Tesla CEO challenged policy advocates to show how a 6 billion dollar (£4.8 billion) donation sought by the UN agency could solve world hunger.