Political connections

US: 10 things to know about Cindy McCain, new incoming chief of the World Food Programme

By Julian Pecquet, in Washington

Reserved for subscribers

Posted on March 22, 2023 13:28

© Cindy McCain, inspects bags of grains donated by USAID at the World Food Programme warehouse, during her visit to assess the drought conditions and food security at the Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana county, northwest of Nairobi, Kenya March 17, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya — Cindy McCain, inspects bags of grains donated by USAID at the World Food Programme warehouse, during her visit to assess the drought conditions and food security at the Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana county, northwest of Nairobi, Kenya March 17, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

The UN tapped a well-connected US politician and philanthropist when it selected Cindy McCain to head the world’s largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security earlier this month.

The widow of the late John McCain (who was a US senator and 2008 presidential candidate) is set to succeed former South Carolina Governor David Beasley atop the World Food Programme (WFP) when his six-year term ends on 4 April.

We lay out 10 things to know about this incoming WFP chief.

There's more to this story

Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.

Subscribe Now

cancel anytime

Already a a subscriber Sign In

More Politics

© A view of the newly-commissioned Dangote Petroleum refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria May 22, 2023. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

distribution details

Will Dangote’s Refinery solve Nigeria’s fuel consumption problems? President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, the world’s largest single-train refinery, on 22 May in Lagos am...

Coffee With

Angélique Kidjo, an encounter beyond space and time Fresh from winning the prestigious Polar Music Prize, the Benin-born singer tells The Africa Report what motivates her to cross cultural divides in he...

© A pedestrian walks past a mural depicting Russia’s para military mercenaries ‘Wagner Group’ reading : “Wagner Group – Russian knights” on a building’s wall in Belgrade, on November 17, 2022. (Photo by OLIVER BUNIC / AFP)

Cracking down

US sanctions Wagner commander in Mali in latest crackdown on Russian mercenary operations in Africa The US government slapped new sanctions on Russia’s Wagner Group on 25 May, putting African nations on notice that working with the Kremlin-linked mer...

© Liberia’s NEC civic & voter education agents informing eligible voters in their communities to register using Liberia’s 1st Biometric Voter Registration system on 18 March 2023 (photo: twitter)

checks & balances

Liberia ends voter registration amid cases of voter trucking and irregularities The national elections commission ended its voter registration on 11 May for the general election scheduled for 10 October. But the process was not wi...