Cindy McCain announced plans on Thursday to step down as the executive director of the World Food Programme in three months, bringing a premature end to a tumultuous term marked by financial retrenchment and internal dissent over her handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
McCain, who “suffered a mild stroke” in October, concluded that the demands of leading the world’s chief food agency were too great to permit her adequate time to focus on her recovery, the United Nations food agency said in a statement. She was originally scheduled to serve out a five-year term ending in April 2028.
“With a heavy heart, I am announcing my intention to step down as the Executive Director of the World Food Programme,” McCain said in the statement. “Serving this incredible organization has been the honor of a lifetime.”
About the authors
Colum Lynch
Colum Lynch is an award-winning reporter and Senior Global Reporter for Devex. He covers the intersection of development, diplomacy, and humanitarian relief at the United Nations and beyond. Prior to Devex, Colum reported on foreign policy and national security for Foreign Policy Magazine and the Washington Post. Colum was awarded the 2011 National Magazine Award for digital reporting for his blog Turtle Bay. He has also won an award for groundbreaking reporting on the U.N.’s failure to protect civilians in Darfur.
Ayenat Mersie
Ayenat Mersie is a Global Development Reporter for Devex. Previously, she worked as a freelance journalist for publications such as National Geographic and Foreign Policy and as an East Africa correspondent for Reuters.
