Pope Leo XIV called on the international community to strengthen commitment and resources to tackling the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, describing access to adequate food as a “fundamental human right,” in a speech at the World Food Programme’s (WFP) global headquarters on Monday (22 June).

“Meeting this need not only alleviates suffering but also addresses underlying causes of geopolitical instability,” Pope Leo said.

The Pontiff’s remarks come as WFP warns global hunger has climbed to alarming levels, with 266 million people across 48 countries acutely food insecure in 2025.

In his address in Rome, the Pope described bureaucratic and political roadblocks to humanitarian action, echoing a similar warning by his predecessor, Pope Francis, during his 2016 visit to WFP.

“In effect, conflicts are ‘fed’ more readily than people are nourished,” Pope Leo said. “This reality reflects not only operational shortcomings but also a fundamental imbalance in political and moral priorities.”