Bureaucracy, weakening of multilateralism foments hunger crises, Pope warns

June 22, 2026

Pope Leo XIV visited the headquarters of the World Food Programme today (video) and linked the persistence of hunger to the weakening of multilateralism and the “bureaucratization of solidarity.”

Address members of the U.N. agency’s executive board in Rome, Pope Leo said that “your institution’s commitment resonates profoundly with the Catholic Church’s mission to uphold human dignity and to foster fraternity, rooted in the Gospel’s call to love our neighbor.”

“Today, crises have evolved from isolated events into persistent realities, marked by prolonged conflicts, chronic food insecurity, economic volatility and growing climate vulnerabilities,” the Pope continued. “The international order has become increasingly fragmented, arising in part from the crisis of the multilateral system,” and as a consequence, nations “have increasingly allocated their resources towards national security, economic growth and domestic stability, disregarding the close link between these issues and multilateral cooperation.”

The Pope also warned of “the progressive bureaucratization of solidarity alongside the quiet commodification of human life. On one hand, humanitarian action is increasingly burdened by bureaucratic procedures that can delay assistance to those in need. On the other hand, access to essential goods, including food, is too often influenced by economic or strategic considerations.”

“This twofold dynamic creates a serious ethical challenge: the human person is no longer consistently placed at the center of international action,” Pope Leo said. “In effect, conflicts are ‘fed’ more readily than people are nourished. This reality reflects not only operational shortcomings but also a fundamental imbalance in political and moral priorities.”

The Pope added:

In this spirit, I wish to appeal to the governments and peoples of the world to renew and strengthen their commitment, to increase the resources dedicated to combating hunger and its root causes, and to remove the obstacles that prevent aid from reaching those in need. At the same time, such support should also strengthen engagement with the Church and civil society. Reinforcing the capacities of all these actors together will multiply our collective effectiveness in the fight against hunger.

 

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Further information:

• Visit to the Headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP) (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 6/22/26)
• Visit to the Headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP) (Holy See Press Office, 6/22/26)