LEB WFP Government-led, shock responsive safety net programme to the conflict-affected families

Founded in 1961, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency saving and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working to improve nutrition and build resilience. Against an unprecedented number of violent conflicts as well as economic and climate shocks food insecurity is reaching record levels on all continents.

WFP leads or co-leads humanitarian response and provides services such as the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), UN Humanitarian Response Depots network (UNHRD) as well as the three Inter-Agency Standing Committee Clusters (Logistics, Emergency Telecommunications and Food Security Cluster, with FAO). WFP is prioritizing support for the most vulnerable populations in contexts such as Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon or Palestine.

Each year, SDC is allocating predictable quality funding (to the Immediate Response Allocation and to country programmes) so that WFP can plan its activities. In addition, it provides further contributions in the event of unforeseen humanitarian crisis, for complementary projects of an innovative or strategic nature, or for the deployment of experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit to support the achievement of WFP’s strategic objectives.

In Lebanon, a severe escalation of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in the South of Lebanon since 2 March 2026 has displaced northwards about 1.3 million persons, putting massive pressure on governmental and humanitarian organizations to respond. 

WFP’s mission is a world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life.

The underlying vision for WFP's strategic plan for 2026-2029 envisages a world where food insecurity and malnutrition (SDG 2 - Zero Hunger) have been eliminated, and where both national and global stakeholders have successfully reached the SDGs (SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals).

WFP's overall goal is to deliver urgent food aid in situations of imminent danger while also assisting nations in their efforts to leave no one behind.

Conflict-affected, displaced Lebanese populations

Ministry of Social Affairs’ safety net programme personnel

WFP Strategic Plan 26-29 aims at:

1. Effective emergency preparedness and response.

2. Reduced needs and enhanced resilience to withstand shocks.

3. Enabled government and partner programmes

Expected results:  

WFP combats hunger in 86 of the world's least developed and low-income countries, where individuals affected by conflicts, natural disasters, refugees, displaced persons, and impoverished communities endure acute food scarcities.

The herewith proposed SDC contribution will help provide a minimum cash assistance to approximately 20’000 internally displaced households in Lebanon over six months.

Results from previous phases:  

• In 2024, WFP provided assistance to 124 million people across 116 countries (74%♀; 57% >0-6 year old). It maintained efficient assistance and dignity of assisted people through delivery of USD 2.1 billion of cashbased and voucher assistance. It supported country capacity strengthening systems in 86 countries.

• WFP was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize "for its endeavours in fighting hunger, improving conditions for peace in conflict-ridden regions, and leading initiatives to prevent hunger from being used as a tool of war." 

• Switzerland continues its constructive policy work on high-impact areas such as Governance, Protection & Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and Localization. Total Swiss contributions have diminished (-27%; from USD 88 M in 2024 to USD 80 M in 2024), notably because of fewer sudden-onset crises compared with past years.

Contribution tops up on existing collaboration of SDC with UN entities like FAO and IFAD, as well as partnerships with ICRC, UNHCR, OCHA, UNICEF, World Bank, and various stakeholders from governments and civil society (private sector, academia, communities, and individuals).

Cash Working Group, Lebanon Cash Donors Forum, Humanitarian Donors WG